President Donald Trump announced Tuesday night U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Neil Gorsuch will fill the Supreme Court seat left by late-Justice Antonin Scalia last year.
"I am a man of my word," Trump said from the White House, reminding Americans of his promise to put a conservative on the Supreme Court.
Now, Conservatives are responding with overwhelming approval. Here are the reactions from a number of influential groups.
Judicial Watch:
President Trump’s nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court is a major step in the right direction in defining his presidency and moving the Supreme Court away from dangerous and destructive judicial activism. It is good to see the President nominate someone who will follow the rule of law rather than legislate from the bench.
Americans want the Supreme Court to respect the Constitution and not make decisions based on a personal ideological agenda and identity politics. President Trump’s nominee will help return the High Court to the prerequisites of original intent rather than subjective and transient policy preferences.
American Life League:
We are excited about the nomination of Judge Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. We firmly believe that he will be a fitting person to fill the seat formerly occupied by Justice Antonin Scalia. Judge Gorsuch shares the same values and commitment to life as American Life League and its supporters. We look forward to doing everything we can to see that this exemplary man is confirmed by the Senate and takes his seat as soon as possible.
Becket Fund:
"When it comes to religious liberty,?Judge Gorsuch is smarter than your average bear," said Eric Rassbach, deputy general counsel at the non-profit religious liberty law firm Becket. "He?got it right when he said yes to a Native American?named Yellowbear and no to a drug dealer with a fake church."
Public Interest Legal Foundation:
“This selection should hearten any believer that the role of the judiciary is to consider what the law says—not what it should say,” PILF President and General Counsel J. Christian Adams said. “Former colleagues speak of Judge Gorsuch’s tested adherence to the honorable tradition of strict constructionism just like the late Justice Antonin Scalia before him. The Rule of Law is on firmer ground tonight, and we will have Judge Gorsuch to thank for that.”
Susan B. Anthony List:
“President Trump has made an exceptional choice in nominating Neil Gorsuch to carry on the legacy of the late Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court. In nominating Judge Gorsuch, President Trump has kept his promise to nominate only pro-life judges to the Supreme Court. Judge Gorsuch is a distinguished jurist with a strong record of protecting life and religious liberty, as evidenced by his opinions in the Hobby Lobby and Little Sisters of the Poor cases, and in his doctoral dissertation in which he wrote that ‘human life is fundamentally and inherently valuable.’ In the coming days, we will mobilize the pro-life grassroots nationwide and in key Senate battleground states to urge the Senate to swiftly confirm Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. Should pro-abortion Democratic Senators choose to filibuster this immensely qualified nominee, they do so at their own political peril.”
Americans For Prosperity:
“Judge Gorsuch is a qualified, experienced choice for the Supreme Court. His long record shows restraint from legislating from the bench and a commitment to upholding the Constitution. Judge Gorsuch has demonstrated he plans to follow the law as written rather than pushing any political agenda. Those values would serve him well as a member of the nation’s highest court and a replacement in the spirit of the late Justice Scalia.
“We’re working to share Judge Gorsuch’s strong record with our grassroots activists, who will mobilize to urge senators to confirm him. The American people expect and deserve a full bench on the Supreme Court to continue upholding our founding documents.”
American Center For Law and Justice:
“We’re very encouraged by President Trump's nominee to fill the late Justice Antonin Scalia’s seat on the Supreme Court,” said Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the ACLJ, who has appeared before the Supreme Court in numerous cases. “Judge Gorsuch is a remarkably qualified nominee with a conservative judicial philosophy and a commitment to uphold the rule of law and the Constitution. He is decidedly pro-life and understands what it means to protect the constitutional freedoms afforded to all Americans. The obstructionists who oppose every move by President Trump will likely challenge this nomination from the outset. That is unfortunate. The American people have spoken in this election. It's time to move forward and proceed without delay and confirm this nominee.”
Heritage Foundation:
Neil Gorsuch will make an outstanding Supreme Court justice, because he has a clear record that shows he will follow the Constitution and uphold the rule of law. Senate Democrats have already signaled they will mount a partisan filibuster against anyone nominated, but this issue was front and center in last year’s election, and the American people gave Donald Trump and a new Senate majority a mandate to choose Justice Scalia’s replacement. This was the most transparent vetting of nominees in history, as Donald Trump made his list of nominees public before voters cast their ballots. Judge Gorsuch is a fitting successor to Antonin Scalia who will defend the Constitutional rights of every American. Liberals want judges that ignore the Constitution to push a radical leftist agenda, but conservatives and voters continue to reject that view and want impartial judges that apply the law fairly. Judge Gorsuch has displayed strong support for our First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and religious liberty. He has a clear record of devotion to the Constitution, separation of powers and the proper role of the courts.
Concerned Women For America:
Judge Neil Gorsuch is a superb choice. President Trump has kept his word and nominated someone who, by all indications, is "in the mold of Justice Scalia," something the president repeated over and over during his campaign.
This was a major issue that drove conservative women to the polls to overwhelmingly support him, and we are pleased to see him follow through on his commitment to the American people. The hundreds of thousands of members of Concerned Women for America now call on the Senate for a swift confirmation process.
National Rifle Association:
“President Trump has made an outstanding choice in nominating Judge Gorsuch for the U.S. Supreme Court. He has an impressive record that demonstrates his support for the Second Amendment,” said Chris W. Cox, executive director, NRA-ILA. “We urge the Senate to swiftly confirm Judge Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, just as it did in confirming him to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit by a unanimous voice vote.”
"During his tenure on the Tenth Circuit, Gorsuch has demonstrated his belief that the Constitution should be applied as the framers intended. To that end, he has supported the individual right to self-defense. Specifically, he wrote in an opinion that "the Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to own firearms and may not be infringed lightly. On behalf of our five million members, the NRA strongly supports Judge Neil Gorsuch's confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court. We will be activating our members and tens of millions of supporters throughout the country in support of Judge Gorsuch. He will protect our right to keep and bear arms and is an outstanding choice to fill Justice Scalia's seat,” concluded Cox.
American Conservative Union:
“Donald Trump looked conservatives in the eye and made a solemn promise to select a Supreme Court nominee who would make Justice Scalia proud.” Said ACU Chairman Matt Schlapp. “Conservatives should thank Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell who led the way in the Senate to keep this seat from being filled. He deserves the assist and Donald Trump gets the goal. Now it is time for all of us to link arms and fight,” said Schlapp.This post has been updated with additional information.