Sen. Susan Collins First Republican To Back Ketanji Brown Jackson For Supreme Court

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) confirmed Wednesday that she would vote in favor of Kentanji Brown Jackson‘s confirmation to the Supreme Court, making her the first Republican to put her support behind President Joe Biden‘s first nominee.

“After reviewing Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s extensive record, watching much of her hearing testimony, and meeting with her twice in person, I have concluded that she possesses the experience, qualifications, and integrity to serve as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court,” Collins said in a statement. “I will, therefore, vote to confirm her to this position.”

Biden spoke with Collins at least three times in an effort to gain her support. The senator also met with Jackson multiple times, once before the confirmation hearing and once after to clear up the remaining questions she had.

Collins has voted in favor of six of nine sitting judges. She voted “no” for President Donald Trump‘s third nominee Justice Amy Coney Barrett, not because of her qualifications, but due to the proximity to the 2020 election.

“In my view, the role the Constitution clearly assigns to the Senate is to examine the experience, qualifications, and integrity of the nominee,” Collins said. “It is not to assess whether a nominee reflects the ideology of an individual Senator or would rule exactly as an individual Senator would want.”

Collins’ support means Vice President Kamala Harris will not have to serve as the tiebreaker in the evenly split Senate, assuming all 50 Democratic senators vote in favor of Jackson’s confirmation. Moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin (West Virginia) confirmed he would support the judge’s nomination last week.