Why Trump reportedly prefers to nominate Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court over Barbara Lagoa

President Trump on Monday said he'll probably announce his Supreme Court nominee on Saturday, and word is he's leaning toward the speculative favorite, appellate court judge Amy Coney Barrett, Bloomberg reports.

Barrett, whom Trump reportedly met with Monday, is well-regarded in conservative circles, Bloomberg notes, and, because she hails from the Midwest, there's reportedly a sense that her selection could help sway swing voters in Rust Belt and Great Lakes states. Trump also already interviewed Barrett when filling the last Supreme Court vacancy, and he reportedly considers her, per Bloomberg, to be a "smart, hard-nosed conservative jurist who would come across well during televised confirmation hearings" and hold steady on issues like abortion, gun rights, and health care when they come before the court.

Additionally, there's reportedly widespread support for Barrett within the White House, and she's also viewed as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) favorite contender.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

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.

Sign up

Bloomberg reports that Barbara Lagoa, a Cuban American from Florida, is reportedly the only other person Trump is seriously considering, but she's a distant second. While the president has spoken highly of her and her selection could help Trump electorally in Florida, he's apparently concerned that she received votes from 27 Democrats when she was confirmed to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. While that traditionally may sound like a bonus, the upcoming confirmation process will almost certainly be split along party lines so bipartisan credentials would seemingly be a non-factor either way. Read more at Bloomberg.