Sotomayor passes the magic 60 number
The nomination of New York native Sonia Sotomayor has passed an important milestone with over 60 US Senators now committing to vote for her to be the next Supreme Court Justice. C-SPAN reports that 61 Senators — 52 Democrats, 2 Independents, and 7 Republicans — are saying that they will vote for her. Less than half of that number, 30 Republicans, have committed to voting against her.
To have sixty votes in favor all but ensures that she will be confirmed, as it takes a three-fifths majority in the US Senate to overcome a filibuster. Both Senators from New York, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, will also vote for Sonia Sotomayor. Among the thirty Republicans voting against her, all but one of them are white men. Among the seven brave Republicans voting for is Senator Mel Martinez, Cuban-American from Florida, as well as the two women senators from Maine.
Nine senators remain uncommitted — 6 Democrats and 3 Republicans. The debate continues in the Senate for the rest of the week, with a final vote planned on Friday.
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Per the NYT the vote is this afternoon.