#GOP Sen. Murkowski opposes SCOTUS nominee vote before election

Sen. Lisa Murkowski said on Sunday that she opposes having the Senate vote on President Trump’s nominee to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the Supreme Court before the election — the second Republican senator to object to filling the seat before Nov. 3.

“For weeks, I have stated that I would not support taking up a potential Supreme Court vacancy this close to the election. Sadly, what was then a hypothetical is now our reality, but my position has not changed,” the Alaska senator said in a statement.

“I did not support taking up a nomination eight months before the 2016 election to fill the vacancy created by the passing of Justice Scalia. We are now even closer to the 2020 election – less than two months out – and I believe the same standard must apply,” the statement continued.

On Saturday, Sen. Susan Collins, who is running for re-election in Maine, said she would be against pushing through the nomination in the 44 days before the November election.

“In order for the American people to have in their elected officials, we must act fairly and consistently – no matter which political party is in power,” Collins said in a statement posted on Twitter, saying she has no objection to the Senate Judiciary Committee reviewing the nominee’s credentials.

“Given the proximity of the presidential election, however, I do not believe that the Senate should vote on the nominee prior to the election. In fairness to the American people, who will either be re-electing the President or selecting a new one, the decision on a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court should be made by the President who is elected in November 3,” Collins said.

Trump made his feelings about Murkowski’s decision earlier Sunday when news reports said that she would be against taking up the nomination.

He remarked “No thanks!” to a tweet from the Alaska Chamber announcing that Murkowski would take part in a town hall on Sept. 22.

Murkowski and Collins objecting to a vote on the nomination before the election jeopardizes the majority that the Republicans would need to approve a nominee, lowering the 53-47 advantage they have to 51.

It would take four GOP senators to oppose the nominee to get beyond Vice President Mike Pence’s potential tie-breaking vote.

Other GOP senators, like Mitt Romney, who bucked Republicans in February and voted to impeach Trump over his dealings with the Ukraine president, and Cory Gardener, who’s in a knock-down, drag-out election fight in Colorado, could also defect but have so far been quiet about their intentions.

Murkowski and Collins were referring to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell holding up former President Barack Obama’s nominating Merrick Garland in 2016 to fill the vacancy left by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia.

McConnell said the nomination should not go through in an election year.

With Post wires