GOP Sens. Murkowski and Romney will vote to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court

By Paul LeBlanc, CNN

Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitt Romney of Utah said Monday evening they will vote to confirm President Joe Biden’s Supreme Court nominee, Ketanji Brown Jackson.

“My support rests on Judge Jackson’s qualifications, which no one questions; her demonstrated judicial independence; her demeanor and temperament; and the important perspective she would bring to the court as a replacement for Justice Breyer,” said Murkowski in a statement, citing “multiple in-depth conversations” and a review of the judge’s record.

She added: “It also rests on my rejection of the corrosive politicization of the review process for Supreme Court nominees, which, on both sides of the aisle, is growing worse and more detached from reality by the year.”

Romney, meanwhile, tweeted, “After reviewing Judge Jackson’s record and testimony, I have concluded that she is a well-qualified jurist and a person of honor. While I do not expect to agree with every decision she may make on the Court, I believe that she more than meets the standard of excellence and integrity. I congratulate Judge Jackson on her expected confirmation and look forward to her continued service to our nation.”

Though the vast majority of Senate Republicans are expected to vote to oppose Jackson, she has deepened her support among the GOP with the two lawmakers joining Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine in her pledge last month to support Jackson’s confirmation.

While Senate Republican and Democratic leaders agree that Jackson is a well-qualified nominee, Murkowski said Monday that some Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee launched “unwarranted” personal attacks on her.

The Alaska senator told CNN she essentially apologized to the judge when they spoke because of the way she was treated, saying some GOP lawmakers on the committee had been “great” during the confirmation process but others “not super great.”

Jackson, 51, sits on DC’s federal appellate court and had been considered the front-runner for the vacancy since Justice Stephen Breyer announced his retirement.

She previously worked as a clerk for Breyer, a federal public defender, an attorney in private practice, a federal district court judge and a member of the US Sentencing Commission.

If confirmed, Jackson will be the first Black woman to serve as a Supreme Court justice.

This story has been updated with additional information Monday.

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CNN’s Ted Barrett and Manu Raju contributed to this report.