Senate Vote to Confirm Amy Coney Barrett to Supreme Court Scheduled for Tonight

The vote to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court will take place this evening. This comes following a weekend of debates in the highly divided Senate. Republicans, who hold a majority in the upper chamber, intend to push the vote ahead with unprecedented speed despite strong opposition from Democrats. But it appears it isn’t entirely split along party lines as two Republican senators also voted against advancing the nomination. In a 51-48 vote yesterday, Joni Ernst of Iowa and Susan Collins of Maine joined Democrats in the fight to stop the proceedings. However, it was still not enough. The Senate only needs 51 votes to confirm a new justice and despite her stance yesterday, Ernst has since backtracked, announcing she will now join the rest of her party during tonight’s vote. President Trump intends to swear his third appointment in right after the vote around 9 p.m. during an outdoor ceremony at the White House. Barrett, who is 48 years old, may be on the court for decades and will tip the scales 6-3, favoring conservatives.