Republicans may not regain Senate majority to approve justices for years

The Boston Globe · SEUNG MIN KIM, MARY CLARE JALONICK and LINDSAY WHITEHURST · 2026-11-06 16:28 UTC

After years of being on the losing end of highly partisan confirmation fights against Republicans, especially on Supreme Court nominees, Democrats will be under considerable pressure to wield the same type of aggressive tactics.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump led a transformation of the Supreme Court that ushered in a conservative supermajority but soon he will confront an emboldened Democratic-led Senate that is preparing to play hardball on his judicial nominations.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who is likely to return as majority leader next year, promised in an interview with The Associated Press that Democrats will prevent the Republican president from installing a “right-winger” on the Supreme Court and that they are “not going to allow any crappy nominees” elsewhere in the federal judiciary or in Trump’s Cabinet.

Democrats will hold at least 54 seats in the 100-member Senate next year and as many as 56 depending on final results in Mississippi and Alaska, giving them a significant majority to block Trump’s nominees or just ignore them outright.

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