President Biden will pick a nominee for Senate confirmation.
Wednesday’s retirement announcement by US Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer set off a wave of speculation not only about who President Joe Biden would nominate as a replacement, but whether the US Senate can quickly confirm any nominee.
Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin said the nominee and the court “impact our lives in very fundamental ways.” She expects the president to pick a highly qualified nominee. “And I look forward to meeting with her—I’m just guessing here,” she joked, noting Biden’s promise to nominate a woman for the post.
Some of the dozen Democratic candidates for the US Senate seat currently held by GOP Sen. Ron Johnson likewise offered their thoughts.
“I have full faith that President Biden will nominate an exceedingly qualified nominee, and I look forward to reviewing their record on the issues that matter to Wisconsinites,” said Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes in a statement. “I expect the Senate to do its job by providing a fair, thoughtful, and swift confirmation process.”
State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski, who last September called on Breyer to step down, said, “President Biden and the Senate must move quickly to confirm a new Supreme Court Justice and reject any efforts by [Senate Minority Leader] Mitch McConnell, Ron Johnson, and the GOP to steal another seat. With reproductive rights, voting rights, LGBTQ rights, civil rights, and so much more at risk, we must fill this seat now.”
RELATED: Supreme Court Upholds Obamacare Again, Saving Health Coverage for 2.4 Million in Wisconsin
Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson said Biden’s nominee “must be fully committed to stand up to the radical imbalance that currently exists on the court thanks to three Trump-nominated extremists.”
Former Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry said on Twitter, “The vacancy underscores how delicate our democracy currently is. Issues like Roe v. Wade, protecting coverage for pre-existing conditions, the right to vote, and marriage equality are all on the line.”
Politics
‘I nearly died’: These women brought a grim warning to Wisconsin about abortion care restrictions
Traveling the country, they tell the real life-or-death situations that they faced because of extreme bans after the repeal of Roe v. Wade. For...
Opinion: It’s time for Congress to fight for small businesses instead of big corporations
May is National Small Business Month. Our elected leaders need to show leadership all year long. For the past 27 years I’ve been fortunate to pursue...
Local News
4 of the most iconic foods invented in Wisconsin
What is Wisconsin’s most iconic food? That’s a question we could spend all day debating, and for good reason: Badgerland is a food lovers’...
Four places it’s 100% okay to tip $0 in Wisconsin
Most people plan to tip at the usual suspects – restaurants, salons, ride-shares – but nowadays, it feels like customers are being prompted to tip...