Background: Last week, liberal-leaning Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer announced his retirement.
During the 2020 presidential campaign, Biden pledged to nominate a Black woman to the bench if he had the opportunity during his term.
Biden made the pledge shortly after President Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett to the bench following the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
What Happened: A poll by ABC News-Ipsos revealed that 76% of Americans want Biden to consider “all nominees” to the Supreme Court, not only Black women.
Just over three-quarters of Americans (76%) want Pres. Biden to consider "all possible nominees," while 23% want him to follow through on his commitment to nominate the first Black woman to the Supreme Court, per a new @ABC News/Ipsos poll. https://t.co/ExfUG4vYUV
— ABC News (@ABC) January 30, 2022
What Democrats Say: According to the poll, 54% supported considering all nominees.
Only 23% wanted Biden to only consider nominating Black women to the Supreme Court.
What Republicans Say: Republicans have accused Biden of playing identity politics in regard to his Supreme Court justice pick. Lawmakers say that Biden’s pledge to only consider Black women only serves to politicize the Supreme Court.
“It adds to the further perception that the court is a political institution like Congress when it is not supposed to be,” Sen. Susan Collins said. (per Fox News)
