Republican senator from Maine, Susan Collins said in a statement on Saturday that the President who is elected in November should fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
“In order for the American people to have faith in their elected officials, we must act fairly and consistently—no matter which political part is in power. President Trump has the constitutional authority to make a nomination to fill the Supreme Court vacancy, and I would have no objection to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s beginning the process of reviewing his 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,” Collins said. “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 on November 3.”
Maine Sen. Susan Collins statement on the Supreme Court vacancy.
Shortly before Ginsburg’s death was announced, Sen. Lisa Murkowski told Alaska Public Media that she would not vote to confirm a nominee with the election less than 50 days away.
Two Republican senators are now opposed to filling the vacancy before November. With a 53-47 seat majority in the Senate, Republicans cannot lose no more than 3 senators if they plan to get Trump’s nominee confirmed and on the bench before November 3rd.
