Trump Says Supreme Court Nominee Will ‘Most Likely’ Be A Woman

Topline

President Donald Trump on Saturday told reporters he will likely nominate a woman to replace the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court, as Republicans move quickly to vote on a candidate before the presidential election in November.

Key Facts

Crucial Quote

“If somebody were to ask me now, I would say that a woman would be in first place,” Trump said.

Key Background

All eyes are on Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and several other Republican Senators who previously said they don’t want to nominate a new justice during an election year, but have not yet announced their views since Ginsburg’s death.

Democrats are making their appeal to the swing votes by using Mitch McConnel’s own argument for stalling Merrick Garland’s nomination during the tail-end of the Obama administration. McConnell said at the time, “this nomination ought to be made by the President we’re in the process of electing this year,” though he now emphasizes the situation is different now because the president and Senate are of the same party, unlike 2016.