Final Biden Judicial Nominees Advanced by Senate Committee (2)

The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the last of Joe Biden’s judicial nominees, closing the pipeline for his court appointments as the chamber prepares for Donald Trump’s return.

Benjamin Cheeks and Serena Murillo, who both advanced on 11-10 votes on Thursday, will likely be the final two to see floor votes as other nominees’ Senate journeys have sputtered.

Cheeks has been nominated to the US District Court for the Southern District of California, while Murillo has been picked for the Central District of California.

A handful of appellate nominees likely won’t get floor votes, after a Senate agreement struck by the two parties to drop them in exchange for advancing Biden’s remaining district nominees without Republican stalling tactics. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-N.Y.) office confirmed that they didn’t have the votes for confirmation.

They include Adeel Mangi for the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit; Karla Campbell for the Sixth Circuit, and Julia Lipez for the First Circuit. Another, Ryan Park for the Fourth Circuit, has now withdrawn his nomination, the White House said Thursday.

Park, the North Carolina solicitor general, expressed “regret” in a LinkedIn post that his appointment didn’t “pan out.”

Three other district nominees never received confirmation hearings due to a lack of support from their home state senators or for other reasons. They are Danna Jackson for the District of Montana; Detra Shaw-Wilder for the Southern District of Florida; and Rebecca Kanter for the Southern District of California.

If Cheeks and Murillo are confirmed, Biden would cap his judicial record with 235 appointments, including 45 to the circuit courts, 187 on the district courts, and one Supreme Court justice.

Republicans retake the majority come Jan. 3 and the Judiciary panel will be led by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).