Here’s a quick roundup on judicial nominations and what’s happening across the federal courts.
Biden Slightly Ahead of Trump on Judicial Confirmations
Per the Heritage Foundation’s judicial tracker, President Biden is just slightly ahead of Donald Trump on judicial confirmations at this point in his presidency. The Senate has confirmed 194 nominees under Biden, compared to 193 under Trump.
Some are starting to say that Biden could end up having more total judges confirmed than Trump. It’s possible. To do that, Biden would have to fill ALL current vacancies—approximately 45.
That still seems like an uphill battle, considering there’s only about 15 nominees in the pipeline. Plus, the height of election season is right around the corner, which means senators will be on the campaign trail and away from Washington D.C. That could complicate scheduling Judiciary Committee hearings and floor votes.
Let’s say Biden does manage to get more judges confirmed than Trump by the end of his first term. That doesn’t mean he’ll have the same impact on the federal bench as did the former president.
The Washington Examiner explains:
“While Biden now retains an overall lead on Trump and may finish with more confirmed nominees, a closer look may still give The Donald an edge. Trump confirmed 51 appeals court judges, while Biden is at 41 and may not be able to match that number. Biden holds the edge when it comes to district court judges, which are seen as somewhat less powerful.”
President Biden recently announced four new nominees, including one to a federal circuit court and three for federal district courts.
This recent round brings the number of judicial nominees under the Biden administration to 219. That’s about two dozen less nominees compared to the prior administration, which had nominated 244 at this point.
Read More:
The White House: President Biden Names Forty-Ninth Round of Judicial Nominees
Reuters: Biden nominates four new judges including to 11th Circuit
Washington Examiner: Biden quietly remaking courts to counter rightward lurch under Trump
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