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With the United States Senate poised to vote next week, Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) announced Thursday that she will support Judge Neil Gorsuch's nomination to the Supreme Court.
"After doing my due diligence by meeting with Judge Gorsuch and reviewing his record and testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, I've decided to vote in favor of his confirmation. He has a record as a balanced, meticulous, and well respected jurist who understands the rule of law," Heitkamp said in a statement, according to CNN. "He has unique and critical experience with tribal sovereignty, Indian law, and public lands issues in the west, and has received the endorsement of numerous tribes and major Native American organizations."
BREAKING: SenHeitkamp 2nd Dem Senator to say she's a yes on J.Gorsuch for #SCOTUS, calls him "balanced, meticulous, and well respected"
— Shannon Bream (@ShannonBream) March 30, 2017
She criticized the Republicans for playing politics with Judge Merrick Garland's nomination, but said she would not engage in the same game.
"This vote does not diminish how disturbed I am by what Republicans did to Judge Garland. Senate Republicans played politics at its worst," Heitkamp said. "But I was taught that two wrongs don’t make a right."
Heitkamp's announcement came minutes after Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) announced he would also vote in favor of nominating Gorsuch.
Calling Gorsuch an honest and thoughtful man, Manchin said, "After considering his record, watching his testimony in front of the Judiciary Committee and meeting with him twice, I will vote to confirm him to be the ninth justice on the Supreme Court."
I will vote to confirm Judge Neil Gorsuch to be the ninth justice on the Supreme Court. pic.twitter.com/MpVbaqf0LB
— Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) March 30, 2017
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has promised Gorsuch's confirmation on April 7.
