LYNCHBURG, Va. – President Joe Biden officially announced Justice Stephen Breyer’s retirement after 27 years on the Supreme Court.
Biden is expected to fulfill his campaign promise by appointing the first Black woman to the high court.
Potential candidates include Ketanji Brown Jackson, a Harvard Law graduate who currently serves on D.C.’s Circuit Court.
“The Biden administration, I am sure, have anticipated [Breyer’s retirement]. I suspect they have large dossiers on all of the potential candidates, and now they’re going to have to work through all of the political support and to see where that might play out,” said Tory Lucas, a Liberty University Law professor.
With an evenly divided Senate, a 2017 rule change by Republicans could now allow Democrats to confirm a Supreme Court pick with a simple majority; as Vice President Kamala Harris would be the tie-breaking vote.