No Democratic senators are expected to vote to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court ahead of the Nov. 3 election, even though some did support her in 2017 for the federal appeals court.
Two Democrats still serving in the Senate who voted to confirm Barrett in 2017, Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, now say it’s too close to the election to consider her nomination. Republicans control the Senate 53-47, so Barrett could still be confirmed without Democratic support.
Kaine said voting is already underway in his and other states. “Rushing a confirmation vote before the American people have weighed in would be reckless,” he said in a statement.
Said Manchin, “I cannot support a process that risks further division of the American people at a time when we desperately need to come together.” He said he would not vote to support Barrett or any nominee before Nov. 3.
In 2016, Republicans said it was too close to the election to confirm President Barack Obama's pick to replace Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court. Scalia died 237 days before the election. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, whom Barrett would be replacing, died 46 days before the election.