Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) gave momentum to Senate Republicans’ effort to confirm President Trump’s eventual nominee to replace the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, which the president plans to announce on Saturday from the White House. After much speculation, Romney announced on Tuesday that he will support holding a vote for the eventual nominee. He pointed to the obvious circumstantial differences between the 2016 controversy over former President Obama's nominee, when Senate Republicans declined to hold hearings on account of divided government ahead of a general election.
“My decision regarding a Supreme Court nomination is not the result of a subjective test of ‘fairness’...it is based on the immutable fairness of following the law, which in this case is the constitution and precedent,” Sen. Romney wrote in a statement. “The historical precedent of election year nominations is that the senate generally does not confirm an opposing party’s nominee, but does confirm one of its own.”
Utah Senator ?@MittRomney? is onboard for a vote before the election. That now means 51 Republicans will vote. pic.twitter.com/SOpRH9QePA
— John Roberts (@johnrobertsFox) September 22, 2020
Thus far, two GOP senators have voiced opposition to holding confirmation hearings for President Trump’s soon-to-be nominee; Sens. Susan Collins (ME) and Lisa Murkowski (AK) cited concerns with filling the vacancy with the general election in just a few weeks.
Sens. Cory Gardner (CO) and Chuck Grassley (IA) announced his support for holding hearings on Monday. With Sen. Romney’s support, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has the votes necessary to move forward on the confirmation of President Trump’s nominee, without delay.
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