Senate GOP pushes Trump judicial nominees in lame duck
The gist
Senate Republicans are using the lame-duck session to confirm Trump's judicial nominees before Democrats take the majority Jan.
Lifetime judgeships shape federal courts for decades, so the rush is the GOP's last window.
How it unfolded
- Nov 3, 2026Trump nominee James Sullivan lost his election to remain on the Texas Supreme Court; his paperwork was received by the Senate the next day.
- Nov 6, 2026Reuters reported Democrats will hold a Senate majority beginning Jan. 3, ending Republicans' control.
- Nov 10, 2026The Judiciary Committee approved four district court nominees for Texas, Kentucky and Alaska, sending them to the floor, and held hearings for four others.
Key terms
- lame-duck session
- The period after an election but before the successor takes office, when outgoing officials still serve.
- midterms
- US general elections held near the midpoint of a president's four-year term, when all House seats and about a third of Senate seats are contested.
- reconciliation bill
- A US congressional procedure that lets budget bills pass the Senate by simple majority, bypassing the filibuster.
Source: Wikipedia