The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Isakson, Perdue appear supportive of Trump’s pick
WASHINGTON — Georgia’s two U.S. senators placed themselves firmly in the White House’s corner as Republicans brace for a vitriolic and expensive fight over President Donald Trump’s latest Supreme Court nominee.
Sens. Johnny Isakson and David Perdue sat feet from Trump on Monday evening as he announced his intent to nominate Brett Kavanaugh to replace Anthony Kennedy on the high court. Within minutes of the East Room rollout, their offices blasted out news releases touting the record of the former George W. Bush administration official and D.C. Court of Appeals judge.
“I congratulate Judge Kavanaugh, who is a talented and experienced jurist, on his nomination to our nation’s highest court,” Isakson said.
“This is about an individual with an outstanding, objective and independent record of defending and upholding the Constitution of the United States,” Perdue said in a video posted to his social media accounts on Tuesday. “I could not be more excited about a nominee than I am about Brett Kavanaugh.”
The two Republicans are not viewed as potential swing votes on Trump’s judicial nominees, but their support is still needed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell as he looks to confirm Kavanaugh before the court’s new term begins in October. The GOP holds a fragile 51-49 majority in the Senate, and with Sen. John McCain absent as he battles brain cancer, any dissent could be lethal.
Even though Isakson and Perdue appear inclined to support Kavanaugh, they
are facing pressure from left-leaning groups to oppose his nomination. Local resistance to Trump’s high court pick began to build even before Kavanaugh’s name was announced.
The Georgia arm of the abortion rights group NARAL Pro-Choice America on Monday urged the pair to reject Kavanaugh and “stand up and protect women and families in the state of Georgia and across the country.”
Meanwhile, a coalition of left-leaning groups picketed Perdue’s Atlanta office on Tuesday to pressure him and Isakson “to oppose any nominee who would criminalize abortion, roll back health care, decimate civil rights or attack workers, the environment and the rule of law.”
“Time and again, we have seen Isakson and Perdue rubber-stamp Trump’s policies,” said Caroline Stover, one of the event’s organizers. “As Georgians and as Americans, we will continue to raise our voices and demand that our elected officials listen to all of their constituents and not
just the demands of conservative lobbying groups.”
Perdue and Isakson weren’t the only Georgia officials to sound positive notes about Kavanaugh.
The majority of the state’s Republicans serving in the U.S. House quickly voiced their support, as did GOP gubernatorial candidates Casey Cagle and Brian Kemp. The latter called Kavanaugh a “bright, well-qualified jurist who will serve our country well.”
Meanwhile, the Democrat whom Cagle and Kemp are battling to take on in the fall used Kavanaugh’s nomination as a fundraising opportunity.
“With his nomination, voting rights, LGBTQ+ equality, workers’ rights, and access to health care — could be on the chopping block,” Stacey Abrams said in an email to supporters on Tuesday afternoon. “Make a donation to my campaign today so I can defend our hardfought victories and progressive values from the Governor’s mansion.”