Amy Coney Barrett Now A Heavy -400 Favorite for Supreme Court Nominee

• Amy Coney Barrett emerging as heavy favorite to replace Ruth Bader Ginsberg on US Supreme Court
• President Trump expected to name his nominee this Saturday
• Trump has already pledged to pick a woman to replace RBG

Just a few days after the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, the Republican Senate has already indicated that it plans to push forward with a vote for her successor. Ginsberg’s last wish was that her successor would not be named until after the upcoming presidential election, but Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell will almost surely bring a vote to the floor before November 3.

President Donald Trump, who has already appointed two justices to the Supreme Court, is expected to bring a third nominee forward this weekend. Trump said on Tuesday that he plans to make the announcement on Saturday night. The president has pledged to name a woman to Ginsberg’s former seat. Judge Amy Coney Barrett, who has already met Trump privately twice this week, is emerging as a clear-cut betting favorite to get the nod.

Amy Coney Barrett Opens Sizable Lead

The latest odds at BetOnline have Barrett as a massive -400 favorite to become Trump’s choice later this week:

Barrett is exactly what a president like Trump would want in his SCOTUS nominee. The mother of seven is a devout Catholic who has indicated that she would support conservative stances on controversial matters like abortion. Just 48 years old, Barrett also fits the bill when it comes to her potential longevity as a conservative voice on the highest court in the land.

Barrett formerly clerked for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, a man with whom she is aligned on most social issues. She was reportedly a finalist for the last Supreme Court vacancy that was ultimately given to Brett Kavanaugh instead.

Barbara Lagoa, whose parents were immigrants from Cuba, is another leading candidate. Lagoa comes from Trump’s adopted home state of Florida, which will be a massively important battleground state in the upcoming election. Trump has routinely polled about evenly with Democratic challenger Joe Biden in Florida, so appointing a Floridian like Lagoa could move the needle in Trump’s direction politically.

Republicans Ready to Vote Regardless of Nominee

Only two Republicans, Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski and Maine’s Susan Collins, have said they would not support the decision to move forward with a new Supreme Court nomination before Election Day. However, with Republicans holding a 52-48 majority in the Senate, McConnell has a little bit of leeway when it comes to votes. If Senators vote to a 50-50 tie with regard to Trump’s nominee, Vice President Mike Pence can and will vote to break the tie in Trump’s favor.

Senators Mitt Romney, Martha McSally, Lamar Alexander, Chuck Grassley, and Cory Gardner, all of whom may have been on the fence about whether to support the nominee, have indicated that they would be ready to vote if a nominee is brought forth.

Amul Thapar, who would become the first Asian-American to serve on the Supreme Court, is the odds-on favorite among male candidates at +3300. Thapar is a close associate with McConnell, but the chances of Trump picking a man appear slim at this point. Senators Ted Cruz and Tom Cotton, who were both attorneys before making the switch into the world of politics, are long-shot options at +7500 and +10000, respectively.