Vice President Kamala Harris is ready to step in and break any tie votes in the Senate as President Joe Biden works hard to get more of his judicial nominees confirmed before leaving office. After losing to Donald Trump, Harris may face one of her last big tasks in office—playing a crucial role in pushing through judicial appointments.
With Democrats aiming to surpass the 234 judges that Trump got appointed during his first term, every vote counts. That’s where Harris comes in. As president of the Senate, she has the power to cast a tie-breaking vote. Throughout Biden’s time in office, Harris has already made history for casting the most decisive votes of any vice president.
This issue is so important to Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer that it came up when they met for lunch after the election. They’ve discussed getting these judicial appointments sorted out, and Harris has promised to be there when needed.
Even though Harris had plans to travel to Hawaii and California, she decided to delay her trip just in case her vote is needed in the Senate. However, those votes won’t be happening until December, so she is taking some time away now.
Senator Elizabeth Warren confirmed that Harris will be available to break ties on judicial votes if necessary. Schumer is also pushing hard to get these judges confirmed, especially during the lame-duck session after the election but before the new Congress is sworn in.
Trump has already criticized the Democrats’ efforts to confirm more judges, accusing them of trying to “stack” the courts with “Radical Left Judges.” However, even though Republicans may try to slow down the process, they don’t have enough power to stop it.
For Senate Democrats, confirming judges before they lose their majority is a top priority. Schumer is especially determined to push through as many as possible, with the goal of surpassing Trump’s final count of 234 confirmed judges.
Currently, Biden is close to reaching that number, having confirmed 223 federal judges so far. While some vacancies remain, Schumer and other Democrats believe they can break Trump’s record and get even more qualified judges on the bench.
Even if the goal is to have qualified judges in place rather than just beating Trump’s number, there’s a real push to keep things moving in the final days of this Congress. Harris’s tie-breaking vote could be the final piece to make it all happen.
A Senate Democratic aide shared that they hope Harris won’t be needed, but they’re glad that she’s ready to help if the situation arises while Democrats still hold the majority.
