WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
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President Donald Trump is expected to announce his nominee for the Supreme Court today. The president’s decision comes after Justice Anthony Kennedy’s announcement two weeks ago, that he will resign at the end of July. Kennedy was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1988. He was the third candidate put forward for approval by then-president Ronald Reagan. Since 2006, Supreme court decisions have largely come down to Kennedy’s swing vote, following the retirement of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
Kennedy’s replacement is the second SCOTUS appointment for President Trump. Neil Gorsuch was approved, largely along party lines, to the bench in April. Gorsuch’s nomination was filibustered by Senate Democrats in April. Senate Republicans went ahead with a vote, invoking the so-called ‘Nuclear Option’ which would allow a Senate confirmation if approved by a majority. Three Senate Democrats broke ranks and joined Republicans to approve Gorsuch’s appointment at that time: Joe Manchin III, Heidi Heitkamp, and Joe Donnelly voted to approve Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. All three Senate Democrats are up for re-election this Fall, in states that Trump swept in 2016.
In an interview on Friday with Northeast Indiana Public Radio, WBOI in Fort Wayne, Donnelly stated he will consider Trump’s nomination to the Supreme Court and make a determination on whether or not to approve the candidate, based on whom is chosen. Donnelly, a first-term Democratic Senator, is up for re-election in Indiana this Fall. He’s facing millionaire businessman Mike Braun, who defeated two Republican Congressmen in a contentious primary.
President Trump is expected to announce his Supreme Court nominee this evening.
