Ms Barrett’s Senate confirmation hearings began on October 12th with Americans sharply divided over her nomination. According to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS, a pollster, a large majority of Republicans (83%) want her confirmed, but only a tiny fraction of Democrats (8%) agree. Overall, more Americans oppose Ms Barrett’s confirmation (46%) than support it (42%). Indeed, according to polling data compiled by The Economist, net approval for Ms Barrett’s nomination, at minus four points, is lower than for any Supreme Court candidate in more than three decades. The only justice that comes close is Brett Kavanaugh, Mr Trump’s most recent nominee whose confirmation was plagued by allegations of sexual assault.