Sonia Sotomayor is President Obama's choice to succeed retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter.
In 1998, the Senate confirmed Sotomayor, nominated by President Clinton, as a judge to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit. The vote was 67-29. All Democrats present (42) voted yes. The GOP vote was split, with 25 voting yes and 29 voting no. Here's how current Senate Republicans voted on the Sotomayor nomination back in '98:
YES (7): Lugar (IN), Collins (ME), Snowe (ME), Cochran (MS), Gregg (NH), Bennett (UT), Hatch (UT).
NO (11): Sessions (AL), Shelby (AL), Kyl (AZ), McCain (AZ), Grassley (IA), Brownback (KS), Roberts (KS), McConnell (KY), Inhofe (OK), Hutchison (TX), Enzi (WY).
In addition, Pennsylvania's Specter, then a Republican but now a Democrat, voted yes.
categories: A Historical Look Back, Approaching the Bench
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