Sen. Lisa Murkowski announced Saturday she will vote to support Judge Amy Coney Barrett's nomination to the Supreme Court, signaling a turnabout.
"While I oppose the process that has led us to this point. I do not hold it against her as an individual who has navigated the gantlet with grace, skill and humility," Sen. Lisa Murkowski said. "I will vote no on the procedural votes ahead of us, but yes to confirm Judge Barrett when the question before us is her qualification to be an associate justice on the Supreme Court."
The Republican senator from Alaska had previously said she did not believe the confirmation vote should be made this close to an election.
This means only one Republican, Senator Susan Collins of Maine, is expected to vote against Barrett's confirmation, while all Democrats are expected to vote against it as well. However, Republicans will still have enough votes to confirm Barrett.
Just a day before Murkowski's announcement, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell cut off debate and set up a final confirmation vote just eight days before the election, setting the grounds for a Monday final confirmation vote.
Murkowski was one of the only Republicans joining Democrats to push against the quick filling of the late associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's vacancy. She warned again during her announcement that the rush to fill the seat would "reinforce the public perception about political influence on the court."
Barrett's confirmation proceedings are amounting to one of the quickest for a Supreme Court nominee in modern times. If confirmed, she will give the court a 6-3 conservative majority.
