By Lydia Wheeler - 08/06/16 11:08 AM EDT
Liberal groups say they are increasingly confident that Senate Republicans will crack after the November election and confirm Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court.
With Donald Trump trailing Hillary Clinton by 9 points in national polls, liberal advocates say Republicans appear headed for a disastrous election that could lead to them giving President Obama’s nominee a confirmation hearing and vote.
“Certainly I think the vast number of voters in states with vulnerable Republicans are expressing disapproval over the failure of the Senate to treat Garland fairly and my sense is that this expression will only grow over the next several weeks and months,” said Nan Aron, president of the Alliance for Justice.
“I certainly think that if the polls continue to show that vulnerable Republicans are experiencing backlash, there will be greater momentum to give Garland a hearing during the lame duck.”
Democrats have sought to use the blockade of Garland’s nomination as a cudgel against vulnerable Republican incumbents as they fight to take back the majority.
Some Senate races appear to be tilting the Democrats’ way, though the controversy stirred by Trump is likely a big reason why.
In New Hampshire, Sen. Kelly Ayotte is trailing her Democratic challenger, Gov. Maggie Hassan, by 10 points, according to a poll released this week. In Illinois, Sen. Mark Kirk was trailing his Democratic challenger, Tammy Duckworth, by 6 points, in a poll released last week.
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http://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/290568-obama-allies-gop-will-cave-in-supreme-court-fight
