Senate Republicans voted overwhelmingly Sunday to advance Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett toward final confirmation.
Barrett’s confirmation on Monday was hardly in doubt, with the majority of Republicans mostly united in support behind President Donald Trump’s pick. But Democrats were poised to keep the Senate in session into the night in attempts to stall, arguing that the Nov. 3 election winner should choose the nominee to fill the vacancy left by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Barrett, a federal appeals court judge on the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, is expected to be confirmed by the Senate on Monday.
Sunday’s procedural vote divided 51-48 largely along party lines. Two Republicans, Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, sided with Democrats. Murkowski and Collins will ultimately confirm Barrett, both senators have said they support Barrett’s nomination and will vote to confirm her despite voting with Democrats on Sunday.