Sen. Lindsey Graham says he’ll vote against Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for Supreme Court

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) Thursday announced he would vote against Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s historic bid to become the first Black woman on the Supreme Court.

“My decision is based on Judge Jackson’s record of judicial activism,” Graham said. “I now know why Judge Jackson is the favorite of the radical left and I will vote no.”

Graham trashed Jackson for what he claimed were overly lenient sentences for child pornography suspects and defense of terror suspects held as enemy combatants.

The unsurprising decision not to approve Jackson isn’t expected to knock her confirmation off-course, especially after Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) this week announced her support.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., questions Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson during a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, March 23, 2022.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., questions Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson during a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, March 23, 2022. (Alex Brandon/AP)

Jackson needs 50 votes to be confirmed by the evenly divided Senate and is considered likely to win the backing of all 50 Democrats along with Collins.

Graham was considered one of a handful of Republicans who might vote for Jackson because he voted to confirm her just last year to a top appeals court post.

He did not explain why he supported her previously considering the issues he raised were already known at that time.

Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson testifies during her Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 23, 2022.
Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson testifies during her Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 23, 2022. (Andrew Harnik/AP)

Two Republicans, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) are still considered potential yes votes for Jackson.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to vote on Judge Jackson’s nomination on April 4. Once approved, Senate Majority Leader Schumer (D-N.Y.) intends to move for full confirmation before the end of session on April 8, which kicks off a two-week recess period.

If confirmed as expected, Jackson will take the spot of her mentor Justice Stephen Breyer, who is retiring after 28 years on the bench.

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