Democrats May Benefit as Alito, Thomas Stay on Supreme Court

Donald Trump has advanced much of his agenda with support from the Supreme Court of the United States, where conservative justices hold a 6–3 majority.

If vacancies occur later in Trump’s term and the Senate shifts to Democratic control, confirmation of new nominees could become difficult. (Illustration: DonkeyHotey Flickr)

However, a report suggests this dynamic could shift depending on future vacancies.

According to Matthew Rozsa writing for AlterNet, some analysts believe Democrats could benefit if Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas choose not to retire soon.

Damon Root, a senior editor at Reason Magazine, noted that both justices, aged 76 and 77, are near the typical retirement range.

If vacancies occur later in Trump’s term and the Senate shifts to Democratic control, confirmation of new nominees could become difficult. Historical precedent includes the refusal by Senate Republicans to act on a Supreme Court nomination near the end of Barack Obama’s presidency.

Root argued that such a scenario could become a campaign issue in upcoming elections.