Ketanji Brown Jackson is all but guaranteed to become the first Black woman on the Supreme Court, CNN reports, after Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin threw his support behind her Friday. Axios also says Manchin's move "essentially guarantees" she's in. "After meeting with her, considering her record, and closely monitoring her testimony and questioning before the Senate Judiciary Committee this week, I have determined I intend to vote for her nomination to serve on the Supreme Court," the West Virginia senator said in a statement. Jackson will win confirmation if all 50 Senate Democrats give their approval since Vice President Kamala Harris can break a tie.
Manchin, who derailed the nomination of President Biden's first pick for top banking regulator at the Federal Reserve, was viewed as a potential swing vote, per Politico. Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona is another, though Democrats are reportedly confident in her support of Jackson. Democrats are still hoping the vote will be bipartisan in a sign of unity after Justice Brett Kavanaugh's contentious confirmation hearings. But it now looks as though "the vast majority of Senate Republicans" will follow Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who said Thursday that he would vote no, per Politico.
Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas describes the number of Republican votes in favor of Jackson's nomination as "south of three," according to Politico. Just three Republican senators—Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina—voted to confirm Jackson to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals last year. Collins is seen as the most likely Republican to support the nomination after describing a recent meeting with Jackson as "very productive." (More Ketanji Brown Jackson stories.)
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