Former GOP Sen. Kelly Ayotte will reportedly return to Capitol Hill this week to guide President Trump’s Supreme Court choice through what is guaranteed to be a bitter confirmation process.
Ayotte, a moderate Republican who lost re-election to Democratic New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan in November, will spend the next few weeks introducing Trump’s nominee to various lawmakers and accompany him or her to meetings around the Hill. She will also attend the confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Washington Post reported late Tuesday.
Trump is expected to name his Supreme Court pick at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday evening.
Ayotte will work alongside three senior White House aides: Makan Delrahim, Marc Short and Rick Dearborn.
Delrahim, a former judiciary committee staffer, will work closely with the office of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has forcefully condemned Democratic leaders’ strategy to block Trump’s pick, no matter who it is.
A trio of communications staffers who worked on the Trump transition operation will also handle all communications for the White House related to the impending Supreme Court battle.
