Senate moves forward on Jackson confirmation

The Senate voted 53-47 to break a committee deadlock Monday and bring Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court nomination up for a vote. Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Mitt Romney of Utah voted with Democrats to advance the nomination. All three said they would also vote to confirm her, virtually assuring her a seat on the nation’s highest court.

Why the deadlock? Every Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee opposed Jackson, creating the first tie vote since Clarence Thomas’ nomination in 1991. Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., moved to discharge the nomination from the committee, which requires a simple Senate majority vote and then several procedural steps to set up a confirmation vote. This is the first time a Supreme Court pick has had to be discharged from committee since 1853. President Joe Biden selected Jackson to replace Justice Stephen Breyer, who will retire at the end of this term.

Dig deeper: Read Maryrose Delahunty’s report on Jackson’s legal background.