After the victory in Nevada, guaranteeing Democrats’ the Senate majority, confirmation of President Joe Biden’s nominees is set to continue at a steady pace.
With a majority in Senate, Biden’s judges and executive branch nominees will be confirmed.
However, Biden’s agenda isn’t as secure since Republicans are still favored to win the House.
Headed into the midterms, judge selection was a top prize for those who secured the Senate majority. Republicans would no longer “rubber stamp” Biden’s nominees as Democrats had, according to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
When queried if, under Republican control, the Senate would confirm a Biden Supreme Court nominee next year, McConnell refused to comment.
In 2016, McConnell spear-headed blocking of former President Barack Obama’s pick for the Supreme Court, current Attorney General Merrick Garland.
In contrast, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has vowed Democrats would continue the pace of judicial confirmations for the next two years.
In a statement, Schumer confirmed a Democrat-led Senate’s commitment to “restoring balance to the federal judiciary” by appointing “professionally and personally diverse judges.”
Schumer’s statement, which followed the Democrat’s win in Nevada, highlighted that with the Senate majority confirmed Democrats, there wasn’t any plan to slow down the “historic pace of judicial confirmations.”
Biden’s judicial confirmations have been on par with former President Donald Trump. So far, Biden has confirmed 84 judges.
117 Vacancies remain, with 57 judicial nominees pending.
Senate Democrats also no longer need the seat in Georgia’s runoff to maintain their majority but if Senator Raphael Warnock retains his seat in Georgia, Democrats will have more room to pass legislation freely.
