Democrats Consider Pressuring Sotomayor to Resign

Senate Democrats are intensely discussing whether to pressure Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who is 70 and has type 1 diabetes, to step down in order to confirm a liberal replacement before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Despite the urgency to avoid a repeat of the 2020 scenario when Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away, many senators are reluctant to publicly or privately urge Sotomayor to resign. Concerns about potential health risks and the challenges of confirming a new justice during a lame-duck session further complicate these discussions. Some senators worry that if Sotomayor resigns, her replacement may not be confirmed in time, allowing a Republican president to fill the vacancy. The lack of consensus and clear support among senators makes it unlikely that such a move could be executed effectively. Consequently, party leaders are apprehensive about the implications of a conservative majority on the Court post-Trump's inauguration.