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Comment by syedkarim | Hacker News Reader

Does Trump have enough time to get a new justice nominated and confirmed?

Realistically, they have until the last day of the current congress which runs until January 3rd, 2021. The Senate has 37 working days remaining in 2020. It would be an amazing feat if they manage to do it, but you bet if only as an animating fight for the party faithful who are historically depressed right now, they're going to try.

How would it be an amazing feat? Trump already has a list of candidates, and all it takes is 50 Senators to say yes (plus Pence breaking a tie if they somehow don't get 51). There's no requirement to allow any but the most perfunctory of floor debates, and the filibuster has been eliminated for SCOTUS justices.

Guaranteed McConnell will ram this through with plenty of time to spare.

Trump's campaign has been blasting SCOTUS picks to their email list for weeks. From the latest one:

  > Did you hear the news? President Trump has released his shortlist for candidates for the Supreme Court. Here is a sneak preview of a few of the names on the list:
  > Senator Tom Cotton
  > Senator Josh Hawley
  > Senator Ted Cruz
  > And more…

Wow Hawley and Cotton have risen meteorically. I would have half-expected Hawley's crypto-unionist populism to have kept him off such a list, but he'd surely be better than the others mentioned. Somehow, he ran for MO Attorney General without promising to further brutalize minorities. Within two years he was in the Senate and now within two more years he would be on the Supreme Court? Wow.

He could have it done by Wednesday if he wants. Just pick the youngest and most ideological from the Federalist society's list and give them an up/down vote and the President can sign off in no time.

The cynic in me says they will leave the seat open through the election, with full intent of filling it in the lame duck sessions, to keep it as a drive for GOP votes. "Don't let the Democrats fill the seat!"

Justice Harold Hitz Burton is tied for the record: 0 days. There was less than 24 hours between nomination and confirmation. He was at least the 10th to achieve this feat. McConnell will require exactly as many days as he deems most politically expedient.

They only need 50 votes and the Republican Senate will 100% confirm somebody, especially since they have the lame duck session too.

Time? absolutely. It only takes an hour or two.

Will they do it? maybe? probably.

The Republicans will absolutely do it.

This is their chance to mold our country's sociopolitical landscape for decades.

I think it hinges on their (Trump, really) confidence on winning in November. No reason to do it now if you're sure you're going to win. No reason to worry about possible repercussions in the form of lost voters if you're sure you're going to lose.

What lost votes? Trump's base is going to eat this up. They would only be mad if he didn't ram through an appointment as fast as possible.

exactly. the search for a replacement SCOTUS is going to further unite the republicans for Trump.

Trump's chances of winning will drastically increase with another Republican Supreme Court Justice.

The election will likely be contested. When some strategically selected counties in Florida start anulling mail-in votes the Republicans will be glad to have a person who will dispute in their favour.

Depress your opponents base and deny them a divisive issue to campaign on.

It would be a perfect game theory move to do it, no merit in holding out.

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