Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) joined other female senators on Wednesday calling on American women to support Amy Coney Barrett.
If confirmed to the Supreme Court, Amy Coney Barrett will become the fifth woman out of the 113 Justices to serve on the Supreme Court. They include the first woman appointed to the court, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor who was appointed by Republican Ronald Reagan, plus Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Justice Elena Kagan, and Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
Blackburn appeared with all Republican female Senators in a press conference to acknowledge their support for Barrett, saying all Americans should celebrate that another powerful woman is succeeding late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and put aside their bias.
“We are so pleased to have a woman who is so accomplished, who is widely applauded by her colleagues, whether they’re coming from the left or the right. As someone who is disciplined in the law, has a curious mind a strong intellect, that has an appreciation for the Constitution, and an appreciation for the rule of law,” Blackburn said.
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“All of us, especially women. All of us should celebrate that and we should be looking for women to serve as role models,” said Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.).
Senator Martha McSally (R-Ariz.), the first female Air Force fighter pilot in the Senate, said Ginsburg had a brilliant mind and served as a role model for all women, and regardless of party affiliation, Democrats should support Barrett the same way.
“She really was a role model for so many. And I think it is fitting that we have judge Barrett being nominated to continue to push forward in breaking those barriers, she’ll be just the fifth woman if confirmed on the court. And she will be the first with school-aged children serving on the Supreme Court,” said McSally.
Barrett has 7 children, ranging in ages from 5 to 16, including 2 adopted children from Haiti and 1 with down syndrome.
Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) told the press that she was troubled when she heard of Ginsburg’s passing and was reminded of how Ginsburg broke barriers for women and served as a role model for her. She believes Barrett will also inspire the next generation.
Barrett has her own list of accomplishments, which include being appointed by President Trump and confirmed by the Senate 55-43 to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in 2017.
“That’s exactly what I see emulated in judge, Amy Coney Barrett. She has been lauded by conservatives and liberals about being just a wonderful judicial mind. But bottom line they always come back to the fact that not only is she fair. But she is truly a decent human being,” said Ernst.
At the time of her 2017 confirmation, every full-time member of Notre Dame Law School’s faculty signed a strong letter of support (pdf) for her nomination, as did every law clerk who served as a U.S. Supreme Court justice during the term that Barrett clerked for Scalia (pdf).
Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) called the judge “highly qualified in all the areas that matter—character, integrity, intellect, and judicial disposition,” and said that the Senate has enough votes to confirm her to the highest court in the nation.