Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Bidens nominee for Associate Justice to the Supreme Court, meets with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, in her office on Tuesday, March 8, 2022.Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Bidens nominee for Associate Justice to the Supreme Court, meets with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, in her office on Tuesday, March 8, 2022.

The Republican senator said she would vote for the judge to join the high court.

Jackson is almost certain to become the first black woman to serve on the Supreme Court.

I have concluded that Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson possesses the experience, qualifications, and integrity to serve as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court after reviewing her extensive record, watching much of her hearing testimony, and meeting with her twice in person.

The centrist senator from Maine said he would vote to confirm her.

The 51-year-old federal judge was expected to be confirmed even if no Republicans voted for her.

The Vice President would need to cast a tie-breaking vote to confirm Jackson if Collins' announcement was any indication.

Two other moderate Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitt Romney of Utah, have not yet said how they will vote on Jackson's nomination.

Collins first shared her decision in an interview with The New York Times that was conducted Tuesday evening after Jackson met the senator for a second one-on-one meeting on Capitol Hill.

According to the senator's statement, the two discussed in depth several issues that were raised in her hearing and that they did not always agree.

If Judge Jackson is confirmed, I will not agree with every vote she casts as a Justice, Collins said.

The confirmation process is broken because it has unfolded over the last few Supreme Court nominations.

The Senate's role in Supreme Court confirmations is to examine the experience, qualifications, and integrity of the nominee, according to Collins.

It instilled confidence in the independence and integrity of the judiciary and helped keep the Court above politics.

Jackson's nomination will be voted on by the Senate Judiciary Committee on April 4. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is expected to schedule a final vote on the nomination on April 8.

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