WASHINGTON — The expected retirement of liberal Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer arrives at a critical juncture for President Joe Biden, offering the Democrat and his party an opportunity to recover lost support among Black voters ahead of the midterm elections.
Biden is likely to nominate the first Black woman to the nation’s highest court, civil rights leaders and White House allies say. The appointment would allow Biden to fulfill a key campaign pledge that could also help animate voters in the Democratic Party base.
“He must keep his promise. He unsolicited made the commitment,” said Rev. Al Sharpton, founder of the National Action Network. “Both the nomination and how it’s handled in the Senate could have real ramifications on the turnout of particularly Black voters in a midterm election. So this is as significant as it can be.”
