President Donald Trump’s reported front-runner to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg has reignited a long-running debate over whether religious judges can keep their faith separate from their rulings, and if that’s a valid litmus test for nominees.
Judge Amy Coney Barrett of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit is a proud Catholic who’s been outspoken in speeches and writings about her strongly held religious beliefs and opposition to abortion. Her faith became a point for Democrats in attacking her nomination to the appellate court in 2017.
“It would have the likely effect of galvanizing Republican-leaning voters to turn ...