President Joe Biden and Senate Democrats are expected to move quickly to fill the seat of retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer seizing the chance to energize their voting base ahead of November's midterm elections, when control of Congress will be at stake.
The president promised during his campaign to name a Black woman to the Supreme Court if a vacancy arises, and the White House reiterated that commitment Wednesday. Fulfilling the promise would represent an enormous breakthrough for Black Americans, who have long been underrepresented in the federal judiciary. For Democratic lawmakers, it could also lessen the sting from their unsuccessful efforts to pass voting rights legislation or get Biden's ambitious social spending and environmental package over the finish line.
