FALLING IN LINE

Pivotal GOP Senator Cory Gardner Backs Trump on Rushing Through RBG’s Successor

Only two Republican senators have said they will oppose taking up Trump’s nominee, which is two short of thwarting a vote.

Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado will back President Donald Trump’s plans to push through a Supreme Court nominee to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg this year, meaning that there will almost certainly not be enough dissenting Republicans to prevent a vote. So far, just two Republican senators—Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine—have said they will oppose taking up Trump’s nominee. There was speculation that Gardner may become the third, but, in a statement released Monday night, he said: “Should a qualified nominee who meets this criteria be put forward, I will vote to confirm.” His position contradicts his 2016 stance that a vacancy should wait until after an impending election. Democrats need two more GOP votes to thwart the nomination—but Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah seems to be the only possible dissenter yet to announce a position.