After much anticipation, President Donald Trump on Tuesday nominated Neil Gorsuch, a federal appeals judge in Denver, to the Supreme Court to replace late Antonin Scalia. Trump’s pick fulfills his campaign promise to nominate a traditionally conservative judge who has a strict interpretation of the Constitution.
Gorsuch, 49, who was a classmate of former President Barack Obama at Harvard Law School, is favored by conservatives for his stance on gun rights and immigration in a state that has mostly leaned left in recent years.
The Supreme Court has been without a ninth judge since Scalia, a staunch conservative, died in February 2016. Obama had chosen Merrick Garland to fill the vacancy, but Congress would not vote on Garland as Republicans cited “the Biden Rule.”
Gorsuch needs a simple majority in the Senate to be confirmed. But Supreme Court nominees can be still filibustered, and there are essentially 48 Democrats in the Senate. Should Gorsuch get confirmed, he will join an almost ideologically split Supreme Court.
John Roberts – Chief Justice (age 62)
Roberts is considered a conservative judge. He Pinbahis was appointed by George W. Bush and has served since Sept. 29, 2005.
Anthony Kennedy (age 80)
Kennedy is considered a swing vote as the most moderate member of the Court. He was nominated by Ronald Reagan and has served since Feb. 18, 1988.
Clarence Thomas (age 68)
Thomas, who faced a controversial battle to be confirmed, is considered the most conservative member of the Court. He was appointed by George H. W. Bush and has served since Oct. 23, 1991.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg (age 83)
Ginsburg is considered a moderate liberal and is the oldest member of the Court. She was appointed by Bill Clinton and she has served since Aug. 10, 1993.
Stephen Breyer (age 78)
Breyer is considered by many as the most liberal member of the Court. He was appointed by Bill Clinton and has served since Aug. 3, 1994.
Samuel Alito (age 66)
Alito is one of the more conservative judges and was nicknamed “Scalito” for his similar conservative leanings to Scalia. He was appointed by George W. Bush and has served since Jan. 31, 2006.
Sonia Sotomayor (62)
Sotomayor is considered among the most liberal judges. She was appointed by Barack Obama and has served since Aug. 8, 2009.
Elena Kagan (56)
Kagan is the youngest member of the Court and has established a mostly liberal record in her short time. She was appointed by Barack Obama and has served since Aug. 7, 2010.
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