Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate Abdul El-Sayed won’t commit to confirming a Supreme Court nominee if there’s a vacancy while Donald Trump is president.
El-Sayed told reporters in Lansing on Friday that to earn his vote, a Supreme Court justice would have to appear willing to overturn the Citizens United ruling and reinstate reproductive healthcare protections.
“I’m going to assess every single one on their merits, and one of their merits is that they were appointed by Donald Trump,” El-Sayed said.
He said the three justices appointed during Trump’s first term have already had a major influence on the country.
The Supreme Court has issued several landmark rulings since those justices took office, including on abortion access, race-conscious college admissions, birthright citizenship and sweeping criminal immunity for former presidents.
El-Sayed was in Lansing for a town hall hosted by the group End Citizens United on the heels of a contentious debate with Republican nominee Mike Rogers the night before. A major piece of El-Sayed's campaign platform has been reducing the influence of money on politics.
