Senate Committee Advances Trump Judicial Noms To Floor For Final Vote

The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced several of President Trump’s judicial nominations to the full Senate for final confirmation on Tuesday. The move came as part of Republicans’ efforts to confirm the president’s picks before losing Congress in January. The committee voted along partisan lines (12-10) to send District Court nominees Daniel Ballou (Eastern District of Kentucky), Richard Bennett (Southern District of Texas), and Courtney Coker (Northern District of Texas) to the full Senate. The body also advanced the nomination of Kyle Reardon (District of Alaska) in a 16-6 vote, with several Democrats joining Republicans in support. The Judiciary Committee decided to postpone votes for other outstanding judicial nominations until next week. The move appears to be in accordance with committee rules, which state, “At the request of any member, or by action of the Chair, a bill, matter, or nomination on the agenda of the Committee may be held over until the next meeting of the Committee or for one week, whichever occurs later.” The nominees will fill several of the more than two dozen Article III vacancies still open, according to Ballotpedia. Notably included in Tuesday’s list of held-over nominees is Arkansas-based District Judge Lee Rudofsky, who Trump nominated for a judgeship on the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. Reports emerged early this week indicating that Rudofsky’s nomination is being held up by Arkansas Republican Sens. John Boozman and Tom Cotton. Individuals familiar with the situation have alleged the senators are doing so due to Boozman’s preference for Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Cody Hiland to fill the position. Hiland previously said during remarks before law students in August that he expected to be nominated for the 8th Circuit seat but was offered a district court seat instead, which he declined. Boozman did not dispute the allegations against him when pressed on the matter by local media. While saying he “continue[s] to appreciate Judge Rudofsky’s service in the Eastern District of Arkansas,” the senator stopped short of publicly backing Rudofsky’s nomination. “Providing advice and consent on nominations to the federal courts is a duty I have always treated with the care and seriousness it deserves,” Boozman said. “I am proud to have helped confirm many constitutionalist judges to the bench and believe the Senate’s unique prerogative in that process is worth protecting, including the need for home-state senators’ feedback to meaningfully shape the selection of nominees.” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, who is expected to serve as the Senate Judiciary Committee’s ranking member next year, urged his colleagues on Monday to confirm Rudofsky and other Trump judicial nominees before the end of the year. “If the Senate doesn’t do this now, it’s unlikely President Trump will be able to fill these positions in the next Congress,” Lee wrote on X. The move to confirm Trump’s remaining judicial nominations comes amid comments from likely incoming Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The New York senator told corporate media last week that Democrats plan on blocking the president’s judicial nominees — including potential Supreme Court picks — in the next Congress. Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He is a co-recipient of the 2025 Dao Prize for Excellence in Investigative Journalism. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics and RealClearHealth. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood