WASHINGTON (The Hill) — Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said on Friday that he will vote for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court nomination, making it ever more likely she’ll be confirmed to the court.
If all 50 Democrats back Jackson, the party will not need any GOP votes to win her confirmation. Manchin was not expected to oppose her, but was seen as one of two possibly uncertain votes along with Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.).
“After meeting with her, considering her record, and closely monitoring her testimony and questioning before the Senate Judiciary Committee this week, I have determined I intend to vote for her nomination to serve on the Supreme Court,” Manchin said in a statement.
Manchin pointed to Jackson’s “wide array of experiences” as giving her a “unique perspective that will serve her well on our nation’s highest court.”
“During our meeting, she was warm and gracious. On top of her impressive resume, she has the temperament to make an exceptional jurist… I am confident Judge Jackson is supremely qualified and has the disposition necessary to serve as our nation’s next Supreme Court Justice,” Manchin added.
Manchin’s support for Jackson comes as he has been a stumbling block for some of President Joe Biden’s biggest legislative priorities over the past year. But Manchin has supported Biden’s lower-court judicial nominees and backed two of three of then-President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominees, making getting his vote for Jackson an easier lift.
He also appeared skeptical this week of the GOP’s focus on Jackson’s child porn sentences.
Democrats want to confirm Jackson before they leave for a scheduled two-week April recess. Though Democrats are hoping to pick up at least one GOP vote, the pool of potential “yes” votes appear to be shrinking.
Sinema hasn’t yet announced how she will vote on Jackson.
