Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Tuesday that Republicans would quickly fill a Supreme Court vacancy if one opens up before the midterms.
“That’s a contingency I think around here you always have to be prepared for. And if that were to happen, yes, we would be prepared to confirm,” Thune told reporters Tuesday.
Even as Thune committed to filling a vacancy quickly, Senate Republicans haven’t yet started having serious conversations within the conference about the logistics of a confirmation battle, according to three people granted anonymity to speak candidly.
If there’s a vacancy, it’s possible Trump could pick a justice from within the Senate GOP ranks.
The president remains very interested in the possibility of placing Sen. Ted Cruz on the court, according to two other people granted anonymity to describe Trump’s thinking. The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the president’s current thinking.
The president pointed to the Texas Republican as a potential pick earlier this year during a stop in his state, joking that he would get unanimous support from his colleagues because “they want to get him out of there,” referring to the Senate.
No justice has publicly tipped their hand that they are eyeing an exit from the court. But Justice Samuel Alito, 76, has come under intense speculation as the second oldest justice. Justice Clarence Thomas, 77, has repeatedly batted down retirement chatter.
