Will Manchin and Sinema block Biden's Supreme Court nominee?

The incoming Supreme Court vacancy has left us with a lot of questions, chief among them — who will President Biden tap to replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer? And secondly, how might the confirmation hearings unfold? Will Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), a duo who have repeatedly put the kibosh on Biden's agenda, throw a wrench in the nomination plan?
It's a perilous situation — in the event Biden's nominee secures zero Republican votes, he'll need every Democratic senator on board to push the new justice through.
Luckily for him, it currently seems unlikely that Manchin or Sinema would break with Biden when the time comes, says CNN's Manu Raju, citing past SCOTUS confirmation records. Also unlikely are the chances the hearings become a partisan brawl, given the court's currently-impenetrable 6-3 conservative majority and the timing of the nomination. Plus, considering the relatively low stakes (emphasis on the "relatively") of the appointment, some Republicans might even vote with the Democrats, in which case Biden may not even need Manchin and Sinema.
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.
Furthermore, both Manchin and Sinema have confirmed other judicial nominees of Biden's before this, meaning there's precedent to cling to.
Whatever the two lawmakers decide, Democrats "likely won't get a clear answer anytime soon," notes Vox, at least in the case of Manchin, whose "typical practice is to wait until very late to announce his voting intention on controversial bills or nominees."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
Trump uses tariffs to upend Brazil's domestic politics
IN THE SPOTLIGHT By slapping a 50% tariff on Brazil for its criminal investigation into Bolsonaro, the Trump administration is brazenly putting its fingers on the scales of a key foreign election
-
3 questions to ask when deciding whether to repair or replace your broken appliance
the explainer There may be merit to fixing what you already have, but sometimes buying new is even more cost-effective
-
'Trump's authoritarian manipulation of language'
Instant Opinion Vienna has become a 'convenient target for populists' | Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Iran still has enriched uranium, Israeli official says
Speed Read It remains unclear how long it would take Iran to rebuild its nuclear program following US and Israeli attacks
-
Trump U-turns on weapons to Ukraine
Speed Read Unhappy with Putin, Trump decides the US will go back to arming Ukraine against Russia's attacks
-
Ukraine scrambles as Trump cuts weapons deliveries
Speed Read The halting of weapons shipments was driven by Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby, a Ukraine funding skeptic
-
IAEA: Iran could enrich uranium 'within months'
Speed Read The chief United Nations nuclear inspector, Rafael Grossi, says Iran could be enriching uranium again soon
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?
today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
Iran nukes program set back months, early intel suggests
Speed Read A Pentagon assessment says US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites only set the program back by months, not years. This contradicts President Donald Trump's claim.
-
Trump says Iran and Israel agreed to ceasefire
Speed Read This followed a night of Israeli airstrikes on Tehran and multiple waves of missiles fired by Iran
-
Israel strikes Iran, killing military and nuclear chiefs
Speed Read Israeli officials said the attack was a 'preemptive' strike on Iran's nuclear program