“If you have six or seven committed textualists or originalists, you are more likely to carry the day, at least in terms of a commitment to that philosophy and having it faithfully applied the cases that the court considers,” Malcolm added. He told RCP that he hasn’t put together a list just yet. He has, however, been advising the administration on a number of picks during Trump’s first term.
The promise of a second list comes the same week that Trump turns the corner on a total of 200 federal judges nominated and confirmed by the Senate. When his White House starts scouting, it will pick from that lineup, explained Carrie Severino, president of the conservative Judicial Crisis Network.
“The big shift,” she told RCP, “is that you’re going to start seeing some of those outstanding appellate picks also now being part of the consideration for the Supreme Court.” No more holdovers from either of the Bush administrations, she added. These will be Trump justices through-and-through.
Court watchers and conservatives will have the summer to debate who might be best and to speculate about who will and who ought to make the cut. Trump World will do everything to hype the election-year sideshow without tipping its hand and ruining any big reveals.
