After making a name for himself on the campaign trail for an unpredictability not usually witnessed among presidential hopefuls, there was always very real chance that President-Elect Donald Trump could surprise everyone with his choice of SCOTUS nominee. Speculation that the rogue Republican might be about to ‘do a Trump’ and choose a candidate out of left field intensified after the now President-Elect’s list of 21 potential nominees, which was finalised and published in September, was temporarily removed from his campaign website.
The list ‘hasn’t changed’
However, Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway has put those fears to rest this week, confirming that Mr Trump will in fact choose a final nominee from among the 21 names already released by his campaign. ‘You’ve seen the list of 21,’ she told reporters. ‘That list hasn’t changed… he’s committed to choosing from that list of 21.’
Key voter issue
The issue of Supreme Court justices became contentious in this year’s election following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, arguably the bench’s staunchest conservative. Trump’s choice of Justice Scalia’s successor has the power to swing the liberal-conservative balance of the nation’s highest court, and it is likely that at least one other SCOTUS vacancy is likely to arise during his term (or terms) as President. According to Ms Conway, exit poll data shows that one-fifth of those who voted on 8 November cited the Supreme Court as the top, or one of the top, issues influencing their vote.
President-Elect Trump’s potential picks for the Supreme Court are:
1. Keith Blackwell
2. Charles Canady
3. Steven Colloton
4. Allison Eid
5. Neil Gorsuch
6. Raymond Gruender
7. Thomas Hardiman
8. Raymond Kethledge
9. Joan Larsen
10. Mike Lee
11. Thomas Lee
12. Edward Mansfield
13. Federico Moreno
14. William Pryor
15. Margaret A. Ryan
16. Amul Thapar
17. Timothy Tymkovich
18. David Stras
19. Diane Sykes
20. Don Willett
21. Robert Young
Sources: Bloomberg News; Townhall
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