Partisan Battle Lines Form Ahead of Nomination for Ginsburg’s Replacement

Democrats are doing all they can to stop President Trump and the Republican-controlled Senate from confirming a replacement for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. They’re charging the GOP with hypocrisy because Senate Leader Mitch McConnell has pledged to bring the nominee to a vote, even though he didn’t act on Barack Obama’s last Supreme Court nomination in his final year as president.

Sen. Chris Coons, D-Delaware, said on Fox News Sunday, “I’m going to work this weekend, this week, to reach across the aisle, and see if I can’t persuade some friends to respect tradition, to respect the precedent they set in 2016 and let the voters decide.”

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden addressed senators in a speech, saying, “Please follow your conscience. Don’t vote to confirm anyone under the present circumstances President Trump and Senator McConnell have created.”

But Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said on ABC News’ This Week the precedent has always been if the White House and Senate are controlled by the same party, the confirmation process goes forward.

Nation Can’t Afford a Tie Vote if the Presidency’s on the Line

He insisted that’s particularly important now because the high court really needs nine justices who might end up picking the winner in this hotly contested presidential election year.

“We need a full court on Election Day given the very high likelihood that we are going to see litigation that goes to the court,” the Texan Republican said. “We need a Supreme Court that can give a definitive answer for the country.”

This battle though, could all be moot if four Republican senators refuse to vote for a nominee before the election. And two have already taken that position—Maine’s Susan Collins and Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski. McConnell needs at least 50 votes to confirm. If he loses four Republicans, that would leave him just 49 votes.

How Fast Could The Senate Confirm a Nominee?

If a majority does vote, the question remains: can the Senate get this confirmation done in time? It’s been a lengthy process in recent years.

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