More than 30 Republican senators, or well over half the Republican conference, back moving forward to fill the Supreme Court vacancy created Friday when Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died.
Republicans opposed President Barack Obama’s nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court in March 2016 and the Senate didn't hold hearings to fill the seat, with many Republicans saying they didn't want to fill the position in an election year over Democratic objections. Presented with a similar situation this week, many of them cited a difference: The GOP now controls both the Senate and White House. Democrats have called this change of position hypocritical.
Because a simple majority vote of 51 is needed and Republicans have a 53-47 majority in the Senate and Vice President Mike Pence can break a tie, four Republicans would need to vote with all members of the Democratic caucus to block the confirmation.