Washington (CNN)Senate Republicans are poised to confirm President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett on Monday, a major victory for the President and his party just days before November 3, that promises to push the high court in a more conservative direction for generations to come.
The stakes in the Supreme Court battle are immense and come at a pivotal time in American politics in the run up to an election where control of Congress and the White House are on the line.
Trump’s appointment of a new Supreme Court justice will mark the third of his tenure in office, giving Republicans a historic opportunity to deliver on the key conservative priority and campaign promise of transforming the federal courts through lifetime appointments. Trump is expected to swear-in Barrett at the White House in an outdoor ceremony at 9 p.m., Monday, after her expected confirmation, a source familiar with the invitation tells CNN.
Barrett, who is 48 years old, is likely to serve on the court for decades and will give conservatives a 6-3 majority on the Supreme Court, a shift in its makeup that will have dramatic implications for a range of issues that could come before it, including the future of the Affordable Care Act and any potential disputes regarding the 2020 election.
Senate Republicans, who hold a majority in the upper chamber, have pushed ahead with one of the quickest nomination proceedings in modern times following the death of the late Justice and liberal icon Ruth Bader Ginsburg last month.
They have the votes to confirm Barrett over the objections of Democrats who have argued that the process has been a rushed and cynical power grab that threatens to undermine Ginsburg’s legacy.
“The Senate is doing the right thing. We’re moving this nomination forward and, colleagues, by tomorrow night we will have a new member of the United States Supreme Court,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Sunday after the Senate advanced the nomination in a key procedural vote to break a Democratic filibuster.
The confirmation battle has played out in a bitterly-divided Senate, but the outcome has not been in question for much of the fight. With few exceptions, Senate Republicans quickly lined up in support of Barrett after her nomination by President Trump. All Democrats are expected to vote against the nomination.
Two Republican senators crossed party lines to vote with Democrats in opposition to Sunday’s procedural vote — Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
Source: Senate to confirm Trump’s Supreme Court nominee a week ahead of Election Day
