By: Douglas Kronaizl
Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:
- Ketanji Brown Jackson confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court
- Five candidates file for U.S. House in Maine creating one contested primary
- Join the Ballotpedia Society to help us bring more neutral, reliable coverage to the local level
Ketanji Brown Jackson confirmed, will be sworn in this summer
The U.S. Senate voted 53-47 to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court on April 7. Jackson will be sworn into office following the retirement of outgoing Justice Stephen Breyer. Breyer previously indicated he would retire during the court’s summer recess, which typically begins in late June or early July.
When she assumes office, Jackson will become the first Black woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Jackson was the first Supreme Court nominee to receive a confirmation vote in a 50-50 Senate. All 48 Democrats and the two Independents who caucus with Democrats voted to confirm. Additionally, Republican Sens. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Mitt Romney also voted to confirm.
President Joe Biden (D) nominated Jackson on Feb. 25. From the formal date of nomination to confirmation, Jackson’s confirmation process lasted 39 days. This was longer than Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation process, which lasted 28 days, but shorter than the process for Justices Brett Kavanaugh (90 days) and Gorsuch (67 days).
Five candidates file for U.S. House in Maine creating one contested primary
We are bringing you a closer look at competitiveness in primary elections across the country throughout this election cycle. Today, we are heading to Maine!
Five candidates are running for Maine’s two U.S. House districts, including two Democrats and three Republicans. That’s 2.5 candidates per district, down from 3 per district in 2020 and 2018.
Overall, primary elections in Maine will be relatively uncompetitive this cycle. Both of the state’s Democratic incumbents—Jared Golden and Chellie Pingree—are seeking re-election. Both will also advance to the general election since they are not facing primary challengers.
The last time a U.S. Representative from Maine decided not to seek re-election was 2014. The last time an incumbent representative faced a primary challenger was in 1974, when incumbent Rep. Peter Kyros defeated Jadine O’Brien in the 1st District’s Democratic primary.
This cycle’s only contested primary will be in the state’s 2nd District between Republicans Elizabeth Caruso and Bruce Poliquin. Poliquin previously represented the 2nd District from 2015 to 2019. He lost to Golden in 2018, the first congressional race decided using ranked-choice voting.
Maine’s primaries will be the 21st of this cycle and are scheduled for June 14. While the state uses ranked-choice voting for primaries, multiple rounds of voting will not be necessary since only two candidates are running in the sole contested primary.
Join the Ballotpedia Society to help us bring more neutral, reliable coverage to the local level
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Every day, a growing number of Americans have the desire to become more informed and involved in the local races that affect their daily lives, but don’t know where to turn for reliable information.
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