WASHINGTON. Senator Joe Manchin III said Friday he will vote to confirm Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, signaling that Democrats are uniting in her support after a series of high-profile hearings that showed deep opposition from Republicans.
The support of Mr. Manchin, a centrist West Virginia Democrat, and a decisive swing vote appeared to nearly secure Judge Jackson’s confirmation. Mr. Manchin’s support has been critical because it could take all 50 Senate Democrats to confirm her candidacy, given few Republicans are willing to support her in a vote Democrats hope to take early next month.
Mr. Manchin has previously said he is ready to support a Biden administration candidate with more liberal views than his, but he did not specifically say he would vote for Justice Jackson until all doubts about his intentions were cleared up with Friday’s statement. .
“After meeting with her, reviewing her record, and closely following her testimony and questioning before the Senate Judiciary Committee this week, I have decided that I intend to vote for her nomination to serve on the Supreme Court,” Mr. Manchin said.
Some conservatives tried to pressure him to take a stand against Judge Jackson, pointing out what they claimed was a record leniency in sentencing sex offenders and accusing her of being a liberal activist. in the right to abortion, which Mr. Manchin opposes, is transgender rights and issues. race. But Democrats and others have debunked the sentencing claims as misrepresented, and Mr. Manchin appears to have dismissed them as well.
“Judge Jackson’s track record and career is exemplary,” he said. “Her extensive experience in various sectors of our judiciary has provided Judge Jackson with a unique perspective that will stand her in good stead in our nation’s highest court.”
Senate Democratic colleagues expected Mr. Manchin to uphold President Biden’s Supreme Court choice, but some said this week they had not received a definitive answer from him and were awaiting his decision. Mr. Manchin’s opposition could potentially derail the nomination, as happened this month when he blocked the appointment of Sarah Bloom Ruskin to the Federal Reserve.
The chances of Republican support seem very limited, with Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska seen as the most likely candidates. None of them made their decision public.
Senator Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican and minority leader, said Thursday he would oppose the nomination. Senator Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican, said Friday that he would also vote against Judge Jackson: “I believe she will uphold Biden’s far-left agenda instead of defending the Constitution and our Kansas values.”
“In no way can I support her in good faith as an Associate Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court,” Mr. Marshall said in a statement.
If no Republican votes to confirm Justice Jackson, Vice President Kamala Harris will have to break the 50-50 tie to put her in court, and she will be the first Supreme Court justice.
Sen. Richard J. Durbin, Democrat of Illinois and chairman of the Judiciary Committee, expressed hope that this would not happen in the case of the first black woman nominated for a court seat.
“I really hope — not just because I want to make sure she is on the court — that we will have bipartisan support for her candidacy,” he said on Thursday. “If this turns out to be a purely partisan vote with this historic opportunity, it would be sad, sad for our country and sad as a comment on where the parties are today.”
The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to vote on the nominee on April 4. Democrats plan to quickly move it to consideration this week for a final vote before the start of the two-week break.