How Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death could affect Senate races - and Trump v Biden

[Klaralven]

On the question of supreme court nominees, the Republican senator Susan Collins has repeatedly threaded the same political needle. It is one with a shrinking eye.

A 64% majority of voters in Collins’ home state, Maine, believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases – yet Collins has voted to confirm Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, two justices nominated by Donald Trump who could roll back abortion rights.

Collins has explained that based on her private impressions, the justices would not overturn the landmark Roe v Wade decision.

But with the death on Friday of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and a vow by Trump and the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, to replace the liberal lion despite the proximity of a presidential election, the eye of the needle may have closed.

Collins is in the middle of a difficult re-election fight of her own, one in which voters will weigh her commitment on issues including reproductive rights. Recent polls have put her as much as 12 points behind her Democratic rival, Sarah Gideon.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/sep/19/ruth-bader-ginsburg-senate-presidential-election-trump-biden-collins-democrats-republicans

[beachbumbob]

1. obviously the impact will be felt in turnout AND depends on what is done

in appointing a new justice before the end of the year. No doubt in my mind this brings more voters out on both sides IF the process is delayed until 2021. The question is, who does this empower more? I believe it dramatically increases democratic turnout no matter what. GOP would like to use it to help bring our more supporters to them but reality wise, they are pretty much maxed out

[Proud liberal 80]

2. My take is it helps Biden and the Democrats

Right Wingers that are single issue and big into SCOTUS already vote at high numbers and were already voting for Trump...