On Saturday, the full Senate voted 50-48 to confirm Judge Kavanaugh as the 114th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Kavanuagh will be occupying the seat left vacant by Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement. Republicans currently have a slight majority in the Senate by a 51-49 margin
According to Senate records, this was the closest roll call vote to confirm a Justice since 1881, when Stanley Matthews was approved by 24-23.
All Democrats voted against his nomination except for West Virginia Democratic Senator, Joe Manchin. Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski voted present, and Republican Senator Steve Daines was absent in order to attend his daughter’s wedding. Vice President Mike Pence presided over the Senate session in order to potentially cast the tie-breaking vote, however, this proved unnecessary.
In a recent op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, Kavanaugh stated:
“I revere the Constitution. I believe that an independent and impartial judiciary is essential to our constitutional republic. If confirmed by the Senate to serve on the Supreme Court, I will keep an open mind in every case and always strive to preserve the Constitution of the United States and the American rule of law.”
Retired Justice Anthony Kennedy (whom Kavanuagh previously clerked for) and Chief Justice John Roberts administered the Judicial Oath to Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Brett Kavanaugh’s wife, Ashley Kavanaugh held the Bible upon which he took the Judicial Oath. Their two daughters, Liza and Margaret were present in the Justices’ Conference Room of the Supreme Court building. Fellow Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan were present as well.
