Support builds for Trump’s SC pick as Romney backs Senate vote

President Donald Trump’s push to widen the US Supreme Court’s conservative majority received a boost on Tuesday as a longtime rival, Republican Senator

Mitt Romney

, said the Senate should move forward with a vote on his replacement for liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.


Romney’s decision left

Democrats

with few hopes of blocking Senate confirmation of Trump’s third appointment to the top court, which would give it a 6-3 conservative majority. Romney is one of the few Republicans in Congress willing to criticise Trump. He still dismissed Democratic arguments that the Senate should wait until after the election. “I intend to follow the Constitution and precedent in considering the president’s nominee,” he said.

Meanwhile, Senate Judiciary chairman

Lindsey Graham

, who will shepherd the nomination through the chamber, said Republicans have the support they need for confirmation. Asked about the prospects of a nomination vote happening on the floor before election day, he said: “I am confident we can have a hearing that will allow a nominee to be submitted to the floor before election day.