Sen. Lisa Murkowski says she hasn't changed her stance, won't back Supreme Court confirmation before election


Hours before the news of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's passing broke Friday, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said she would not vote to confirm a Supreme Court nominee before the November election. At the time, the question was hypothetical, but now that it's reality Murkowski is sticking to her word.
On Sunday, the senator — considered a centrist — became the second Republican in the upper chamber after her colleague Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) to oppose confirming Ginsburg's replacement before Nov. 3. Murkwoski explained she didn't support former President Barack Obama's attempt to fill a vacancy in 2016 since it was too close to that year's election, and she's applying the same standard to this situation, which has an even smaller window.
Observers have pointed out that Murkowski didn't specify whether she'd be opposed to voting during the so-called lame-duck session in the weeks after the election, but in her comments before Ginsburg's death, she did suggest "the people" should have a say in an appointment. Collins, for her part, said whoever wins the presidential contest should fill the seat.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) still could have the numbers he needs to push a vote through, but all eyes are on a few other GOP senators, including Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), to see if they'll follow Collins and Murkowski.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
'You might be surprised by how much you find yourself cheering for them'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
India strikes Pakistan as tensions mount in Kashmir
speed read Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called it an 'act of war'
-
Laurence Leamer's 6 favorite books that took courage to write
Feature The author recommends works by George Orwell, Truman Capote and more
-
India strikes Pakistan as tensions mount in Kashmir
speed read Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called it an 'act of war'
-
Israel approves plan to take over Gaza indefinitely
speed read Benjamin Netanyahu says the country is 'on the eve of a forceful entry'
-
Putin talks nukes as Kyiv slated for US air defenses
speed read 'I hope they will not be required,' Putin said of nuclear weapons on Russian state TV
-
US, Ukraine sign joint minerals deal
speed read The Trump administration signed a deal with Ukraine giving the US access to its mineral wealth
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Israel launches air strike on Beirut suburbs
Speed Read The attack targeting Hezbollah was Israel's third on the Lebanese capital since November's ceasefire
-
Dozens dead in Kashmir as terrorists target tourists
Speed Read Visitors were taking pictures and riding ponies in a popular mountain town when assailants open fired, killing at least 26
-
Israel blames 'failures' for killing of medics
speed read 14 Gaza medics and 1 U.N. employee were killed by IDF special forces