For Biden, who repeated his pledge to nominate a Black woman to the post, the next month presents risks and opportunities. A well-executed Supreme Court confirmation depends on due diligence from the nominee and her team. But the call to move fast is not merely driven by the realities of the slimmest possible Senate majority. There is also a sense of political urgency in Biden’s orbit as his standing has been on a downward trajectory since last fall.

Democrats on and off the Hill see the coming confirmation of the first Black woman to the Supreme Court as an opportunity for Biden to rebound among the rank and file.

“Absolutely!” said House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) when asked if the first Black woman justice could reinvigorate the party’s base.

Hanging over it all is a deep consternation on the left after experiencing so many setbacks on the Supreme Court in recent years — from the GOP blockage that stopped them from filling a vacant seat under former President Barack Obama to the scandal-marred confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death and the GOP rush to replace her in the waning days of Donald Trump’s tenure.