U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski has become the second Republican to break with her party to support President Biden’s Supreme Court nominee.
Murkowski announced Monday that she’ll vote for Judge 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,” Murkowski said.
Murkowski said she wants to reject the “corrosive politicization” of Supreme Court confirmation.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, announced last week that she’d vote to confirm Jackson.
On Monday, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, also announced he’d support Jackson, becoming the third Republican to back Biden’s pick.
Jackson is the first Black woman to be nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court. Biden nominated her to replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer.
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Liz Ruskin is the Washington, D.C., correspondent at Alaska Public Media. Reach her at lruskin@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Liz here.