This afternoon, Supreme Court Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement after the court concluded it’s term. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already stated that he looks forward to having a replacement nominee confirmed this fall. The Supreme Court begins its next term in October, so presumably, there will be no effective vacancy.
President Trump said in an afternoon press gaggle with the President of Portugal that he would pick a justice from his previously released list. You can find that list of 25 potential nominees on Jamie DuPree’s blog, as I did, or from the White House web site.
Two Georgians are on the list, both current Supreme Court Justices. Justices Keith Blackwell and Britt Grant give Georgia the chance to pick up another of the nine lifetime appointments, joining Justice Clarence Thomas of Pinpoint, Georgia. Justice Grant’s nomination to the federal bench is pending a hold placed by Senator Jeff Flake of AZ, over issues not related directly to her.