Sen. Lindsey Graham is confident President Trump will win reelection, and if he does, he may have the power to completely change the future of the Supreme Court.
“We’re going to get four more years and by the time it’s over, it’ll be the Donald Trump court,” Graham said during a call to South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Drew McKissick, according to the State.
Graham, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, has come under scrutiny after he said he would support confirming a justice to the high court to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg before the upcoming election. His stance marks a stark contrast to a vow he previously made to not vote on a nominee until after the 2020 presidential election.
The South Carolina Republican said he had changed his mind for two reasons, citing former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s changes to filibuster rules in 2013 and the chaotic confirmation process of Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018.
“Harry Reid changed the rules to allow a simple majority vote for Circuit Court nominees dealing out the minority. Chuck Schumer and his friends in the liberal media conspired to destroy the life of Brett Kavanaugh and hold that Supreme Court seat open,” Graham tweeted. “In light of these two events, I will support President @realDonaldTrump in any effort to move forward regarding the recent vacancy created by the passing of Justice Ginsburg.”
* Harry Reid changed the rules to allow a simple majority vote for Circuit Court nominees dealing out the minority.
* Chuck Schumer and his friends in the liberal media conspired to destroy the life of Brett Kavanaugh and hold that Supreme Court seat open.
#2
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) September 19, 2020
Trump announced at a rally over the weekend that he would be nominating a woman to replace Ginsburg in the coming week. Ginsburg died Sept. 18 at the age of 87 after complications from pancreatic cancer.
Democrats have been outspoken on their opposition to nominating a new justice to the court until after the 2020 election. Democratic nominee Joe Biden remains leading Trump in national polls, and if Trump were to get someone on the court, it would be his third nominee, which could strongly tilt the court to its conservative wing.
Graham is also facing a competitive reelection year against South Carolina Democrat Jaime Harrison. Harrison blasted Graham on his flip-flop regarding a vote for a Supreme Court nominee, tweeting, “Senator Graham, you have proven your word is worthless.”
Graham responded, saying Harrison would oppose any Trump nominee as “a loyal foot soldier in the cause of the radical liberals to destroy America as we know it.”
