Who will fill Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat?

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Potential candidates Amy Barret (far left)t, Barbara Lagoa (second to left), Allison Rushing (second to right), and Amul Thapar (far right). Photo credit: Notre Dame Law, HOGP, lambdalegal, SCOTUSblog

Novalea Verno, Co-Editor-in-Chief

On Sept. 18 America suffered a great loss. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the second female Supreme Court Justice, passed away. As the public grieves, America finds herself with one less Justice in the Court. Normally the replacement of a person in this position would be chosen fairly quickly and without much fuss, but the current political climate makes that almost impossible right now. With election day quickly approaching, some people are calling on President Donald Trump to hold off on replacing Ginsburg’s seat while others are calling for a hasty nomination. While the Democratic party attempts to make sure a new Justice isn’t elected until after the election, those in support of Trump assure the public that the chair will be filled soon.

“President Trump’s nominee will receive a vote on the floor of the United States Senate,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

The majority of people calling for a quick replacement come from the Republican/Conservative party.

“Conservatives understand this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to achieve a real conservative majority on the Supreme Court that could last for decades,” said Mike Davis, a former Senate Judiciary Committee aide.

A chance to put in another conservative justice could prove vital in moving forward with “right-leaning” cases like the push for the defunding of the abortion industry. Trump has announced that he will be holding off on announcing any potential candidates until after Ginsburg’s funeral out of respect for her and her family. His announcement hasn’t stopped the media from speculating on who will be nominated though. Here is a brief list of potential nominees that have been popping up frequently over the past few days:

First up is Amy Coney Barrett. At only forty-eight years old, this former clerk for late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Calia would be able to hold her chair for many years. This would secure a huge win for the Conservative party in ensuring long-term conservative domination. Barrett was nominated by Trump back in 2017 to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit. She is a teacher at Notre Dame Law School which she also attended as a student. Barrett appears to be a favorite among religious conservatives for her dedication to her Catholic faith and stern standings on laws aligning with her faith.

Barbara Lagoa is another person the media has been betting on. Lagoa is a trailblazer for both women and the Latino community. She was the first Hispanic woman and Cuban American woman to serve as a justice on the Florida Supreme Court. At fifty-two years old, Lagoa has gained a lot of experience in her fifty-two years of life working as a pro bono lawyer and federal prosecutor. She was nominated by Trump in 2019 to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. Her nomination could help bring in more Latino supporters for Trump which is a demographic he has always struggled with. Some people have expressed some doubt in her loyalty to the conservative party by bringing up her lack of input on topics many conservatives believe full-heartedly in.

Allison Jones Rushing is another potential nominee. At just thirty-eight years old, Rushing would be the youngest chair holder. That would be a huge advantage for Conservatives. Rushing was nominated by Trump to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in 2018. She is less experienced than the other potential candidates. She is involved in the Alliance Defense Fund, a Christian Conservative group, which has gained her some negative attention from the Democratic party. The ADF has been called out as an anti-LGBTQ+ and hate group.

Amul Thapar is one of the potential male candidates that has been brought up over the past few days. Although President Trump did say that he intended for the next nominee to be a woman, some are holding out for Thapar. Thapar is fifty-one years old and has many years of experience under his belt. He worked as a lawyer and then with a private practice. His wrap sheet includes a successful prosecution of a serial mortgage fraud case in Ohio and a criminal scheme of government IDs being issued to illegal aliens. His nomination could be the marking of the first South Asian justice on the Supreme Court.