Since the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, there has been a vacancy within the Supreme Court for an associate justice. There have been many questions about who may be next in line to fill the vacancy after Ginsburg, but at the moment, Amy Coney Barrett, the candidate nominated by President Trump, will most likely be the next Associate  Justice. Many wonder if this is the best choice for America. 

On September 26, President Trump publicly made his final nomination. “I stand before you today to fulfill one of my highest and most important duties . . . the nomination of a Supreme Court Justice,” Trump said. “It is my honor to nominate one of the nation’s most brilliant and gifted legal minds to the Supreme Court . . . She is a woman of unparalleled achievement, towering intellect, sterling credentials, and unyielding loyalty to the constitution: Judge Amy Coney Barrett.”

While Trump may speak highly of Judge Barrett, there are still many mixed feelings about our president’s nominee. This is due to the fact that while her political views are considered to be very conservative and right leaning, her Catholic background worries many that religion could blind her in forming proper legal decisions as a Supreme Court Justice.

“The conclusion that one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you and that’s of concern,” Senator Diane Frienstein of California stated to Barrett at the judge’s confirmation hearing in 2017.

Many have also raised concerns about Judge Barrett’s views and opinions on the 1973 Supreme Court’s decision of Roe V. Wade. This ruling passed legislation allowing pregnant women within America to have the freedom to safe abortions without government restriction. Barrett stated that Roe v. Wade would most likely not be overturned, but instead it would be decided whether abortion clinics would be privately or publically funded. 

In Barrett’s own words, “If anything, the public response to controversial cases like Roe [v. Wade] reflects public rejection of the proposition that [precedent] can declare a permanent victor in a divisive constitutional struggle rather than desire that precedent remain forever unchanging. Court watchers embrace the possibility of overruling, even if they may want it to be the exception rather than the rule.” 

But because of this and many of her other views, she is an ideal candidate for right leaning politicians and has been endorsed by many Republican politicians. A few include Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senator Ted Cruz, House Minority leader Kevin McCarthy, and House Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney. But when looking at all politicians that have endorsed her, there are very few  endorsements from those on the left.

Mitch McConnell issued a statement about Judge Barrett saying, “President Trump could not have made a better decision. Judge Amy Coney Barrett is an exceptionally impressive jurist and an exceedingly well-qualified nominee to the Supreme Court of the United States.”

However, several other American politicians have criticized the president’s candidate for future justice.

“Judge Barrett has a long record of opposing abortion and reproductive rights,” Kamala Harris, running mate of presidential candidate Joe Biden, said. “There is no other issue that so disrespects and dishonors the work of Justice Ginsburg’s life than undoing the seminal decision in the court’s history that made it clear that a woman has the right to make decisions about her own body.” 

Because of this, many are on the fence about whether Judge Amy Coney Barrett would be a good Supreme Court Justice. But in the end, the power is held by the people and the citizens to decide whether Judge Barrett is the best decision for our nation. Her confirmation vote will be held on Thursday, October 22.