Mike Lee May Decide Senate Blue Slips as 3-Vote GOP Margin Limits Options
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Sep 23
Mike Lee May Decide Senate Blue Slips as 3-Vote GOP Margin Limits Options
1 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Sep 23
Summary
Mike Lee could unilaterally scrap or change the Senate Judiciary Committee’s blue-slip precedent, putting the fate of home-state senators’ veto power over nominees largely in his hands.
A 3-vote Republican Senate margin could sharply constrain him, because even a few GOP defections could block nominees lacking support from home-state senators in committee and on the floor.
John Cornyn said Lee is a traditionalist likely to honor the practice, while John Kennedy said he would vote to preserve blue slips because senators know their states’ judicial candidates best.
Chuck Grassley underscored that political reality last year, saying U.S. attorney or district judge nominees without blue slips lacked the votes to advance or win confirmation.