Senator Lindsey Graham, the chair of the Judiciary Committee, said Monday on “Hannity” that Republicans have the votes to confirm a nominee to fill Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg‘s Supreme Court seat before the election.

“I’ve seen this move before. It’s not going to work. … We’ve got the votes to confirm Justice Ginsburg’s replacement before the election. We’re going to move forward in the committee. We’re going to report the nomination out of the committee to the floor of the United States Senate so we can vote before the election,” Graham told Fox News.

Republicans hold a three-seat majority in the Senate. Two GOP senators have said they do not support a vote before the election, but four Republicans would have to break with the party to prevent a vote from coming to the floor. With this morning’s breaking announcement that Senator Mitt Romey will consider and vote for President Trump’s SCOTUS nominee, it is secured that the nominee with pass through the Senate swiftly.

“We’re going to have a process that you will be proud of. The nominee is going to be supported by every Republican in the Judiciary Committee. And we’ve got the votes to confirm the … justice on the floor of the Senate before the election, and that’s what is coming,” he added. 

Democrats on the Judiciary Committee sent Graham a letter over the weekend urging him to delay action on a Supreme Court nominee until a new Senate is sworn in next year:

Graham, however, rejected that request in a letter on Monday responding to committee Democrats, adding that he would “proceed expeditiously.”

“I … think it is important that we proceed expeditiously to process any nomination made by President Trump to fill this vacancy. I am certain if the shoe were on the other foot, you would do the same,” Graham wrote in a letter to Democrats.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Friday that there will be a vote to confirm President Trump’s nominee.

McConnell, speaking from the Senate floor on Monday, vowed that Trump’s forthcoming nominee, who the president is expected to name later this week, will get a vote on the Senate floor this year.

McConnell appears to have locked down other key swing votes, including institutionalists such as Sen. Lamar Alexander and vulnerable GOP incumbents such as Sens. Joni Ernst and Cory Gardner, who both signaled support on Monday for filling a Supreme Court vacancy this year.

Does your pick for a SCOTUS nominee match an individual on President Trump’s short-list?

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