Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, announced on Saturday that she thinks Republicans should wait until after the 2020 elections to vote on Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s replacement — saying she believed it was out of “fairness to the American people.”
“In order for the American people to have in their elected officials, we must act fairly and consistently — no matter which political party is in power,” Collins said in a tweeted statement. 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 … I do not believe that the Senate should vote on the nominee prior to the election. 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 in November 3.”
Collins statement signalled a complicated confirmation process as President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., have already committed to holding a vote on the president’s nominee.
The Maine Republican famously voted to confirm then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, despite opposition from Democrats and a fellow moderate Republican, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
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