Lankford Statement on Filling Supreme Court Vacancy

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) issued the following statement regarding the timing on the Senate voting to fill the vacant seat on the Supreme Court:

“I look forward to considering and voting on President Trump’s nominee to fill the Supreme Court vacancy before the end of the year. If the President puts forward a nomination, the Senate has the authority to provide advice and consent, and I take this role very seriously. Confirming a Supreme Court nominee during a presidential election year when the White House and Senate majority are of the same party is consistent with precedent.”

In US history, a Supreme Court vacancy has arisen during an election year 15 times and the president nominated someone to fill the seat. In 8 of those 15 times, the Senate majority and the president were of the same party. In those cases, 7 of the 8 nominations were confirmed. In 7 of the 15 times, the Senate majority and the president were of opposite parties. The only outlier was a nominee where serious questions of judicial ethics and personal finances arose during the advice and consent process. Seven times voters have chosen an opposite-party Senate to check and balance the president. Only two of those seven nominations were confirmed, the last one in 1888.

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