GOP Decides They Won’t Boycott the Supreme Court Vote But Opposition Grows

GOP Senators are saying that Ketanji Brown Jackson’s hearings did little to win them over, but they are not likely to boycott her vote in the Judiciary Committee. A boycott is a tactic they’ve used in other panels including for Biden’s Federal Reserve nominee Sarah Bloom Raskin.

Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) said, “There’s not going to be any boycott. There’s zero, not one iota chance that we would boycott.”  Lindsey Graham also didn’t think a boycott was a good idea, saying, “I don’t think that’s the right way.”  John Cornyn told reporters that Republicans should “show up and try to be on our best behavior and treat the nominee respectfully.”

But there is no indication from any GOP Senator that they will support the nomination.

John Thune: “I think the read out from the members who have been in the hearing room for those of us who haven’t been in the hearing room is that she’s not changing minds. They were thinking that she might win people over. I think if anything a closer examination of her record … has probably moved some of our members in the opposite direction.”  

Rob Portman: “I’m concerned, as you can imagine, about the court packing issue,” Portman said, referring to calls from progressive activists to increase the number of justices on the Supreme Court. “I don’t know why she can’t answer it.”  

Susan Collins: She’s digging deeper, asking for clarifications from the White House. She plans to work hard over the weekend.

Lindsey Graham: He laughed.

Mitch McConnell: The expected opposition, see below.

https://youtu.be/14Cc6s5JK58

Ted Cruz: Was there a Supreme Court nomination hearing?

The Hill