Tennessee Senators Reserve Judgment On Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh

Tennessee’s senators were complimentary of President Trump’s pick for the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday night, but they withheld explicit support.

Republican Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker issued statements soon after the announcement.

Alexander
calls Brett
Kavanaugh a “well-qualified jurist” and says he hopes the confirmation process will be conducted with “dignity and respect.” The three-term Republican says the Senate has gotten in the bad habit of treating people as “innocent until nominated.”

Corker
says Kavanaugh served “honorably” on the D.C. Circuit Court and “understands the importance of upholding the Constitution.”

While Corker is retiring and has frequently clashed with the Trump administration, he is not seen as a potential holdout. He and Alexander
both voted in favor of Trump’s last pick for the Supreme Court, Neil Gorsuch.

The leading Republican to replace Sen. Corker
took a harder line. Congressman Marsha Blackburn said Tennesseans would be well served by Kavanaugh and the Senate should consider him swiftly. She also lashed out and what she called “liberal activist judges.”

Not wanting to turn off potential GOP voters, Democrat Phil Bredesen said
in a statement the nominee deserves a timely hearing but that he is reserving judgment until afterward.