Sotomayor Wins Confirmation by Full Senate

Conservative groups and lawmakers, many of which opposed Sotomayor from the beginning, conceded in recent weeks that barring extraordinary circumstances, the judge would have little difficulty winning confirmation. Sen. Orrin Hatch, who cast one of the votes against Sotomayor, said after the vote that he hoped the new justice would adhere to the rule of law and not shape her record as a judicial activist. But despite the confirming vote, some conservative leaders looked on the bright side. The right-leaning group Committee for Justice put out a statement after the vote calling Sotomayor's confirmation a "conservative victory." "Those of us committed to restoring the rule of law to the federal judiciary have many things to be happy about in how Sotomayor's confirmation battle played out," said Curt Levey, the group's director, which, he explained in detail, included the mounting of a formidable opposition and the signals conservatives sent to the White House about acceptable qualities of a future pick.

The 68 votes for approval came from a unanimous Democratic caucus and nine Republicans. Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy was not present to vote.