Kamala Harris poised to break Senate ties as Dems race to confirm judges

Despite losing the election, Vice President Kamala Harris may yet play a pivotal role in defying President-elect Donald Trump as Democrats push to confirm judicial nominees in the waning days of the Biden administration.

With Senate Republicans employing procedural roadblocks to delay confirmations, Harris’ constitutional power to break Senate ties could prove decisive in overcoming GOP obstruction. “This is something they want to clear the decks on,” a senior Harris aide told NBC News, underscoring the administration’s urgency to surpass Trump’s first-term record of 234 judicial confirmations.

Despite Trump’s demand on Truth Social for Republicans to “hold the line” and block confirmations, Democrats are determined to maximize the lame-duck session. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has vowed to continue pushing through nominees, despite procedural delays that forced nearly midnight sessions. “We’ll keep going,” Schumer declared on Monday, as Democrats teed up votes on 12 judicial nominees.

While Republicans, including incoming Vice President J.D. Vance, scramble to unify their ranks, Harris has delayed personal travel to ensure she is available for tie-breaking votes. The effort mirrors Trump’s own success in securing judges after losing the 2020 election, leaving Democrats confident they can achieve similar results before the GOP takes control of Congress.