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Republican-appointed judges have an edge on US courts

Posted at 4:41 PM, Oct 05, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-05 16:41:44-04

Now that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh appears to have the support for confirmation and a final vote is set for Saturday, here's a look at how the universe of current federal judges breaks down by which party held the White House when they were appointed.

According to records from the Federal Judicial Center, there are slightly more Republican-appointed federal judges sitting on the bench right now than those appointed by Democratic presidents.

That includes so-called "senior status" judges, who hear cases on a more part-time basis.

Republican presidents hold a particular edge in appointments to the powerful US Courts of Appeal around the nation, which frequently decide matters of great importance that never reach the Supreme Court itself.

Kavanaugh's likely confirmation will also mean Republican-appointed judges maintain their 5-4 majority on the Supreme Court. Kavanaugh is viewed as more conservative than Justice Anthony Kennedy, the swing vote he'll replace.