Trump has potential to appoint a majority of the Supreme CourtWASHINGTON — Republicans are gearing up to lock in their remake of the judiciary under President-elect Donald Trump and a new Senate majority, including potentially installing several more conservative Supreme Court justices.
Having already picked three Supreme Court justices in his first term — who were critical in overturning abortion rights — Trump will have appointed a majority of the court if he lands two more.
Trump made the Supreme Court and lower courts priorities in his first term. He worked with Senate Republicans to help reshape the entire judiciary by naming 234 federal judges.
Republicans will hold at least 52 Senate seats, having flipped Democratic-held seats in West Virginia, Montana and Ohio. The number may grow, with several other races still too close to call. Either way, they’ll have power to confirm judges and justices with simple majorities.
Conservatives are prepared for Supreme Court retirements, with the most attention on Justice Samuel Alito, 74.
“I imagine that Justice Alito will want to get the hell out of D.C. as quickly as possible,” said Mike Davis, the Senate GOP’s former chief counsel for nominations, who runs the conservative Article 3 Project advocacy group. “That’s who I would predict.”
The top candidates to become the next Senate majority leader — John Thune, R-S.D., and John Cornyn, R-Texas — both plan to prioritize confirming judges under Trump.
“Come January, we must be ready to confirm his nominees,” Cornyn said while mentioning other priorities like passing a budget, extending the Trump tax cuts and pursuing tougher border policies.
A source close to Thune said that “confirming conservative judges will certainly be a priority,” calling Trump’s first term a “great” model to look to.
When it comes to the Supreme Court, observers have their eyes on the two oldest conservatives. Justice Clarence Thomas, who has served on the court since 1991, will turn 80 by the next presidential election in 2028. He is close to being the longest-serving justice of all time, a mark he would reach that year. Alito, who wrote the 2022 ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, has served since 2006 and turns 78 ahead of the next presidential election.
Both are conservative stalwarts who are in some ways more aligned with the Trump wing of the GOP than the three justices Trump appointed in his first term. They have also both been subject to hostile scrutiny in recent years over allegations of ethical lapses..............
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-has-potential-to-appoint-a-majority-of-the-supreme-court/ar-AA1tJtdd
