Currently a judge in the US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, Judge Gorsuch’s nomination to the nation’s highest court has drawn impassioned responses from both sides of the political fence. Though his elevation to SCOTUS would firmly restore the court to the 5-4 conservative majority it enjoyed prior to Justice Scalia’s passing, it is unlikely that he will emulate the staunchness of his predecessor. While he has previously defended employers like Hobby Lobby denying contraception to employees under staff health insurance policies, his stance on the landmark Roe vs. Wade decision and abortion more broadly have not been clearly fleshed out. Similarly, he hasn’t presided directly over second amendment cases during his career, so his position on gun ownership is also somewhat murky.

However, like the late Justice Scalia, Judge Gorsuch’s track-record as a constitutional originalist is plain to see. In announcing his nomination, President Trump said that his choice of nominee affirmed his promise to the American people to fill Justice Scalia’s seat with someone ‘who respects our laws and interprets them as written.’ 

Sources: BBC; National Law Journal