Democrats confirmed two more Biden judicial nominees to lifetime posts Wednesday in narrow votes, in part due to the absences of Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Mike Braun (R-IN).

The votes took place as Republican senators faced pressure from conservatives and President-elect Donald Trump to return to Washington to help thwart Democrats from confirming more of President Joe Biden‘s nominees to lifetime posts as federal judges. If the two senators had voted, the nominees would not have been cleared Wednesday because Vice President Kamala Harris would have been unavailable to break the 50-50 tie.