Ninth District Congressman Doug Collins is expressing his support for President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee.
Trump chose federal appeals court judge Brett Kavanaugh to succeed retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. The 53-year-old Kavanaugh is viewed as a safe choice by conservatives who is reliably consistent in his rulings. He has close ties to the Republican establishment, having served as a former aide to President George W. Bush.
While not a firebrand pick that might have ignited Trump’s base, Kavanaugh nonetheless could hold sway over the nation’s laws for years to come if his nomination is approved by the Senate. Rep. Collins issued a statement Monday night urging his Senate colleagues to do just that.
“In nominating Judge Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court, President Trump has delivered a candidate whose thoughtful faithfulness to the Constitution will be an asset to our nation’s highest court,” Collins says. “The Senate now has the opportunity to serve the American people by confirming Judge Kavanaugh immediately.”
Collins is a member of the House Judiciary Committee, which exercises oversight over federal courts. On the day Kennedy announced his resignation, Collins appeared on national television. He expressed his opinion that selecting conservative, originalist Supreme Court Justices is key to strengthening America.
Democrats are vowing to fight Kavanaugh’s nomination. They contend the Senate should put confirmation hearings on hold until after the mid-term elections.
In 2016, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused to hold hearings on President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland. He said at the time that, since it was an election year, the newly-elected president should have the right to choose the nominee.
McConnell has no such plans to withhold a vote on Kavanaugh. He’s pushing to hold confirmation hearings and a vote before mid-terms in November.
