According to a CNN report on Sunday (Nov. 10), recent discussions about Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor's potential retirement have been firmly put to rest by those in her inner circle, who affirm she has no intention of stepping down. Despite calls from some progressives for her to allow President Joe Biden to name a successor before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, sources close to the 70-year-old justice emphasize that “she's in great health, and the court needs her now more than ever.”
The practical challenges of confirming a new justice in the brief window before Republicans take control of the Senate in January make such suggestions largely unfeasible. Sen. Bernie Sanders publicly opposed the idea of Sotomayor's retirement, stating on NBC's “Meet the Press” that he doesn't “think it's sensible.”
While Sotomayor has been open about managing Type 1 diabetes, she remains actively engaged in her role, maintaining a vigorous presence during oral arguments and frequent public appearances. She has also been candid about the emotional toll of her work, particularly in recent speeches. At Berkeley Law School, she acknowledged her “frustration” with the court's direction, noting that, “every loss truly traumatizes me in my stomach and in my heart.” Nevertheless, she remains resolute, declaring, “But I have to get up the next morning and keep on fighting.”
According to the New York Post, some anonymous Democratic lawmakers suggested Judge J. Michelle Childs of the DC Circuit Court as a potential moderate replacement should Justice Sotomayor step down. Childs previously garnered bipartisan backing, with support from both President Biden, who included her on his shortlist of potential Supreme Court nominees, and Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, the ranking member of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary.
“I can’t think of a better person for President Biden to consider for the Supreme Court than Michelle Childs,” Graham said during an interview on CBS' “Face the Nation” in 2022. “She has wide support in our state, she’s considered to be a fair-minded, highly-gifted jurist. She’s one of the most decent people I’ve ever met.”