Sen. Lisa Murkowski said Saturday that she will vote “yes” to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court despite her reservations about the path the Senate has chosen to process the nomination before Election Day.
The Alaska Republican’s vote is a crushing blow to Senate Democrats, who almost certainly needed her to vote “no” to have any hope of stopping Judge Barrett’s nomination before Election Day.
“While I oppose the process that has led us to this point, I do not hold it against her as an individual who has navigated the gauntlet with grace, skill, and humility,” Ms. Murkowski said of Judge Barrett on the Senate floor. “I will vote no on the procedural votes ahead of us but yes to confirm Judge Barrett when the question before us is her qualification to be an associate justice on the Supreme Court.”
Ms. Murkowski met with Judge Barrett this month, as she vowed to do in September despite making clear that she has not supported the Senate considering any nominee for the Supreme Court vacancy so close to the November election.
The confirmation vote on Judge Barrett’s nomination is expected to come on Monday.
• Ryan Lovelace can be reached at rlovelace@washingtontimes.com.
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