Biden Set to Surpass Trump's Judicial Record with 235th Confirmation of California District Judges

Dec 20, 2024, 02:32 PM

President Joe Biden is poised to surpass former President Donald Trump's judicial appointment record, with the Senate set to confirm the 235th judge of Biden's term. This milestone will be achieved with the confirmation of two California district judges, Benjamin Cheeks for the Southern District and Serena Murillo for the Central District, expected to be finalized by the end of the week. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has been instrumental in this process, filing cloture on these nominations. Biden's judicial appointments have focused on diversity, with about two-thirds of his 233 confirmed judges being women and a majority being people of color. The effort to confirm these judges has been a priority for Senate Democrats, who have worked to counter the influence Trump had on the federal judiciary during his term, which included three Supreme Court appointments. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans, including Senators Lisa Murkowski, Rick Scott, and Mike Rounds, have expressed their intention to vote against these final confirmations, adhering to an agreement not to block the district judges but having already stopped higher-level circuit court picks.