3 names are receiving buzz after Trump says he'll nominate a woman to fill Ginsburg's seat

(Image credit: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

last updated 20 September 2020

Speaking at a rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on Saturday night, President Trump told supporters that he has yet to select anyone to fill the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's seat, but said his nominee will be a woman.

Earlier Saturday, speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said he will "most likely" choose a woman, but he appeared to make that a promise once he got on stage at the rally. Either way, Trump said an announcement could come within a week and reiterated his preference that the confirmation process happens swiftly, preferably before the November election. That will certainly continue to draw objections from his critics, who believe the choice should be made by whomever wins the election.

In a phone call with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who has expressed his desire to fast-track a Senate vote, Trump reportedly mentioned two female appellate court judges — Amy Coney Barrett and Barbara Lagoa — as possible selections. Barrett is seen as an early favorite since Trump interviewed her during the last two Supreme Court selection processes, and she is well-regarded by conservatives. Allison Jones Rushing, also an appeals court judge, is another contender. Politico notes that, at 38, she would be one of the youngest justices ever to serve on the Supreme Court, which means there'd be a chance she could hold the seat for quite some time. Read more at The Washington Post and Politico.

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Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.

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