A coalition of more than 20 anti-abortion groups wants to get President Trump’s Supreme Court pick approved by targeting vulnerable senators up for re-election in 2018.
The groups are hoping to mobilize activists to conduct phone and email campaigns of key Democrats who are critical for Senate approval of federal appeals court Judge Neil Gorsuch, Trump’s pick to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia.
The groups plan to target Sens. Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Jon Tester of Montana, Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Claire McCaskill of Missouri, according to the Susan B. Anthony List, the group coordinating the coalition.
All of them are up for re-election next year in states that Trump won in 2016. Ten Democrats are up for re-election in red states and 23 overall.
Some senators in tough re-election races have been cautious about Gorsuch since Tuesday night’s announcement.
Donnelly said Wednesday that he will “carefully review and consider” the judge’s record and qualifications.
McCaskill has said on Twitter that she opposes a filibuster for the pick, but that was before Gorsuch was announced.
Brown said he would oppose the pick.
While Gorsuch hasn’t ruled on abortion cases during his time on the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, anti-abortion groups were pleased with his decisions on high-profile legal challenges to Obamacare.
