Donald Trump’s list of potential Supreme Court nominees looks poised to grow on Friday.
Trump will add several names, including Utah Sen. Mike Lee, to his 11-person list, according to NBC News. Thomas Lee, a Utah Supreme Court Associate Justice and brother of the senator, was already included on Trump’s first list.
Sen. Lee has not endorsed the GOP nominee and said in May that Trump “scares me to death.” Trump’s decision to include another member of the Lee family on his list may be aimed at courting conservative support, including from prominent senators such as Lee and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who appears to be warming to Trump once again.
Lee’s office said being added to Trump’s list will not change the senator’s outlook on Trump.
“Sen. Lee already has the job he wants, which is why he is campaigning to represent the great people of Utah again this year,” said Lee spokesman Conn Carroll. “This does not change Sen. Lee’s mind about Trump in any way whatsoever.” Other names that will reportedly be added to the list include Neil Gorsuch, U.S. Court of Appeals judge on the 10th Circuit; Margaret Ryan, a U.S. Court of Appeals judge for the Armed Forces; Edward Mansfield, an Iowa Supreme Court justice; Keith Blackwell, a Georgia Supreme Court Justice; Charles Canady, a Florida Supreme Court justice; Timothy Tymkovich, chief judge on the 10th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals; Amul Thapar, a U.S. District Court judge for Eastern Kentucky; Federico Moreno, a U.S. District Court judge for the Southern District of Florida; and Robert Young, chief justice of Michigan’s Supreme Court.
Trump’s additions to his list of potential nominees to fill the vacancy created by Justice Antonin Scalia’s death comes three days before the first presidential debate.
UPDATE: In a statement to the Washington Examiner, Sen. Lee said he appreciated Trump’s consideration for the Supreme Court nomination.
“The Supreme Court is very important and I appreciate being considered,” Lee said in a statement. “Right now I’m focused on my job in the Senate, where I’m in a good position to defend the Constitution by fighting against government overreach. Both lists that I’ve seen from the Trump campaign are fantastic. While my brother and I might disagree as to which list is better, they’re both great.”
