Trump makes dent in political alignment of liberal 9th Circuit

Young, conservative judges appointed by President Trump might tip the country’s most liberal federal appeals court to political balance.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is on track to have 13 Republican appointees among its 29 full-time judges once the Senate confirms Trump’s latest nominee to the San Francisco-based court and the president fills one remaining vacancy. With 16 judges tapped by Democratic presidents, the 9th Circuit is the closest it’s been in more than two decades to achieving an ideological balance.