Supreme Court, Congress Reach Record Party Approval Gaps

Partisan polarization in the U.S. has reached record highs in evaluations of the Supreme Court and Congress, with Republicans showing significantly higher approval than Democrats, especially following conservative rulings like the 2022 Dobbs decision. This political divide extends to the judiciary itself, as controversy arises over judicial appointments, exemplified by criticism of former BJP spokesperson Aarti Sathe's nomination to a High Court position due to concerns about political impartiality. Meanwhile, judicial appointments continue at the state level, with multiple lawyers appointed to judicial nominating commissions in Florida. On the federal level, President Donald Trump has nominated 15 Article III judges within his first 193 days in office, fewer than his predecessors, with five confirmations so far, contributing to the current 48 federal judicial vacancies. These developments reflect ongoing tensions around the judiciary's role and political influence, as well as the pace and nature of judicial appointments under the current administration.