As Biden judicial confirmations slow, Senate gains ground on red-state judges - The Boston Globe
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By negotiating with Republicans over judicial picks, Biden and majority Democrats have been able to exert some influence over the makeup of trial courts in red states and install people of color on the bench for the first time in some regions.

President Biden and Senate Democrats have fallen behind the rapid pace set by Republicans in shaping the federal courts during the Trump era, but they have made fresh headway in advancing judicial nominees in states represented by Republicans.

By negotiating with Republicans over judicial picks, Biden and majority Democrats have been able to exert some influence over the makeup of trial courts in red states and install people of color on the bench for the first time in some regions.

“It has worked because I think I have convinced the White House that it is better to get a moderate Republican today than a MAGA Republican tomorrow,” said Senator Dick Durbin, the Illinois Democrat who chairs the Judiciary Committee.

Still, the Senate would need to confirm at least 63 more judges this year to match or better the record of the Trump years, when Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky who was then the majority leader, pushed through 234 conservative-leaning jurists, including three to the Supreme Court.

  • Flying Squid
    32•10 months ago

    “It has worked because I think I have convinced the White House that it is better to get a moderate Republican today than a MAGA Republican tomorrow,” said Senator Dick Durbin, the Illinois Democrat who chairs the Judiciary Committee.

    Senate Republicans: Holy fuck! We don’t want MAGA Republicans running things!

    House Republicans: MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! TRUMP 2024!

    • mozz
      19•10 months ago

      In a system where the crazy people are running things, everyone suffers, including the crazy people. One of the key Republican strategies up until recently has been to talk up popular-but-insane stances (e.g. on abortion or immigration) without actually achieving them (and thus having to deal with the explosion of suffering and chaos that follows.)

      A big contingent of the house GOP has lost touch with that essential reality, I think for the simple reason that losing touch with reality is a key electoral advantage for them where their “base” is concerned. But maybe some senate Republicans are still holding on to some sanity and starting to get worried about the growing monster they’ve created.

    • ares35
      9•10 months ago

      some of those republican senators might be smart enough to realize that a statewide election can be more difficult to survive than in a gerrymandered legislative district.