Judge Sonia Sotomayor, President Barack Obama’s first Supreme Court nominee, was confirmed yesterday by a 68-31 vote in the Senate. The vote was largely split along party lines, with only nine Republicans voting in favor of Sotomayor, reports the Washington Post. Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) supported Sotomayor, but was not present for the vote because of his illness, according to CNN.
Sotomayor will be the 111th justice, the third woman, and first Hispanic to serve on the Supreme Court. She joins Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who is currently the only woman Justice seated on the Court. Former Justice Sandra Day O’Connor retired in 2005. Sotomayor will be sworn in at a small ceremony on Saturday morning and will hear her first case in September, reports the Washington Post.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 13-6 last week to approve Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) was the only Republican on the Judiciary Committee to vote for Sotomayor’s confirmation.
