Kagan Whip Count: Judd And Jury
Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) announced late today that he would support Solicitor Gen. Elena Kagan's SCOTUS nomination, becoming the fifth GOPer to signal his support for Pres. Obama's second appointee to the high court.
"Ms. Kagan and I may have different political philosophies," Gregg said in a statement, "but I believe that the confirmation process should be based on qualifications, not ideological litmus tests or political affiliation."
Gregg, who was Obama's second Commerce Sec.-designate before quickly withdrawing from consideration in Feb. '09, voted for Sonia Sotomayor's SCOTUS nomination last year, and also supported Kagan for solicitor gen.
A full Senate vote on Kagan is expected next week, perhaps on Fri., according to CongressDaily's Dan Friedman. We'll continue to keep close tabs on the vote count each weekday until roll is called.
A note on methodology: We assume a vast majority -- if not all -- of the Dem caucus will vote to confirm Kagan. But we're going to be sticklers for a firm 'yes' -- or the very strong hint of a 'yes' in an interview. GOP 'yes' votes are in italics.
YES VOTES: 28
Sens. Michael Bennet (report), Roland Burris (statement), Ben Cardin (statement), Susan Collins (statement), Chris Dodd (statement), Byron Dorgan (statement), Dick Durbin (floor speech, 7/12), Russ Feingold (statement), Dianne Feinstein (statement, Al Franken (interview), Lindsey Graham (announced at committee hearing, 7/20), Judd Gregg (statement), Tim Johnson (report), Ted Kaufman (statement), Amy Klobuchar (interview), Patrick Leahy (statement), Dick Lugar (statement), Claire McCaskill (report), Jeff Merkley (report), Patty Murray (statement), Jack Reed (statement), Chuck Schumer (announced at committee hearing, 7/20), Jeanne Shaheen (report), Olympia Snowe (statement), Arlen Specter (op-ed), Debbie Stabenow (statement), Mark Udall (statement), Sheldon Whitehouse (interview).
NO VOTES: 23
Sens. Lamar Alexander (statement), Bob Bennett (statement), Jim Bunning (statement), Richard Burr (statement), Saxby Chambliss (statement), Tom Coburn (op-ed), John Cornyn (statement), Jim DeMint (op-ed), John Ensign (statement), Chuck Grassley (statement), Orrin Hatch (statement), Jim Inhofe (statement), Johnny Isakson (statement), Mike Johanns (statement), Jon Kyl (announced at committee hearing, 7/20), John McCain (op-ed), Mitch McConnell (statement), Lisa Murkowski (statement), Jeff Sessions (op-ed), Richard Shelby (statement), John Thune (statement), David Vitter (statement), Roger Wicker (report).