Michigan Supreme Court Judge Joan Larsen, who made the short list for the vacant Supreme Court seat now held by Justice Neil Gorsuch, was confirmed to the Cincinnati-based Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday.

The Senate confirmed Larsen by a vote of 60-38 with the support of eight Democrats – Sens. Tom Carper (Del.), Joe Donnelly (Ind.), Heidi Heitkamp(N.D.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.), Bill Nelson (Fla.), Gary Peters (Mich.), Debbie Stabenow (Mich.) and Mark Warner (Va.).

Outside groups had raised concerns over whether Larsen would be an independent check on the executive branch.

Alliance for Justice pointed to a 2006 guest column in the Detroit News in which she argued that George W. Bush has the authority to disregard a law Congress passed prohibiting the U.S. government from allowing torture.