This is the roll call vote from Sotomayor’s nomination to the U.S. Circuit Court in 1998. She was opposed by 29 Republicans, 11 of whom are still in the Senate today:
Brownback (R-KS) Enzi (R-WY) Grassley (R-IA) Hutchison (R-TX) Inhofe (R-OK) Kyl (R-TX) McCain (R-AZ) McConnell (R-KY) Roberts (R-KS) Sessions (R-AL) Shelby (R-AL)
She was not opposed by any Democrats, and Cochran, Collins, Snowe, Specter, Hatch, Lugar, Bennett, and Gregg voted for her in ’98. Here’s McConnell’s take on Sotomayor today:
“Senate Republicans will treat Judge Sotomayor fairly. But we will thoroughly examine her record to ensure she understands that the role of a jurist in our democracy is to apply the law even-handedly, despite their own feelings or personal or political preferences. “Our Democratic colleagues have often remarked that the Senate is not a ‘rubber stamp.’ Accordingly, we trust they will ensure there is adequate time to prepare for this nomination, and a full and fair opportunity to question the nominee and debate her qualifications.”
