Senate advances third nominee to key appeals court

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Thursday advanced a key judicial nominee of President Barack Obama, an appointment that would complete a sweeping overhaul of the nation’s second most powerful court.

Senators voted 55-38 to move forward with the nomination of Robert Wilkins to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Wilkins is a federal judge in Washington, and the third of Obama’s nominees to the D.C. circuit to move forward in the past month.