President Trump said he is looking at five women for his Supreme Court nomination and will be meeting in person with some this week.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House on Monday, Trump said that he had spoken to some of his picks “today and yesterday” and plans to meet with others. He also said he would “probably” announce his pick on Saturday.
“I’d much rather have a vote before the election because there’s a lot of work to be done, and I’d much rather have it. And we have plenty of time to do it. I mean, there’s really a lot of time,” he said.
“So, let’s say I make the announcement on Saturday. There’s a great deal of time before the election. That’ll be up to Mitch [McConnell] in the Senate. But I’d certainly much rather have the vote. I think it sends a good signal, and it’s solidarity and lots of other things, and I’m just doing my constitutional obligation. I have an obligation to do this. So, I would rather see it before the election.”
The five candidates that Trump is thought to be vetting are federal appeals court Judges Amy Coney Barrett, Barbara Lagoa, Joan Larsen, and Allison Jones Rushing, as well as Kate Todd, deputy counsel to Trump and who served as chief counsel of the U.S. Chamber Litigation Center.
Barrett and Lagoa are presumed to be front-runners.
Lagoa, who is Hispanic and from Florida, may benefit Trump politically. Trump told reporters over the weekend, “She’s Hispanic and highly respected,” before adding, “Miami.”
