Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) made it known that he will support holding a vote on President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court pick.
Romney — who has criticized Trump in the past — said in a statement on Tuesday, “The Constitution gives the President the power to nominate and the Senate the authority to provide advice and consent on Supreme Court nominees.”
“I intend to follow the Constitution and precedent in considering the president’s nominee,” he added. “If the nominee reaches the Senate floor, I intend to vote based upon their qualifications.”
As Politico points out, Romney’s position means Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has the votes to move forward.
My statement regarding the current Supreme Court vacancy: pic.twitter.com/6YO0dPWWXc
— Senator Mitt Romney (@SenatorRomney) September 22, 2020
Republican Sen. Mitt Romney signaled in a statement that he's on board with an election year confirmation for a Supreme Court nominee, saying that if a nominee reaches the Senate floor then he will vote "based upon their qualifications." https://t.co/ywAVxbAVIv pic.twitter.com/aYXzOfRLH8
— CNN (@CNN) September 22, 2020
Republican and Democratic lawmakers have clashed on the push to fill the vacancy left behind after Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died at the age of 87 on Sept. 18.
This comes just over 40 days before the 2020 presidential election. Confirming a justice takes on average roughly 68 days to be confirmed, according to The Washington Post.
Trump has indicated that he is looking at five women to fill the spot on the Supreme Court. He said he would announce his nomination on Friday or Saturday.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) suggested on Monday night that Senate Republicans have enough votes to confirm a justice.
“We’ve got the votes to confirm Justice Ginsburg’s replacement before the election,” he said on “Hannity,” adding, “We’re going to move forward in the committee, we’re going to report the nomination out of the committee to the floor of the United States Senate so we can vote before the election. That’s the constitutional process.”
Aside from the clashing over filling her spot, Ginsburg will become the first woman in history to lie in state in the U.S. Capitol on Friday.