Senate confirms Justice Sonia Sotomayor on a 68-31 vote

In the end, 9 Republican’s saw the light and voted with the majority party in confirming Justice Sonia Sotomayor to the United States Supreme Court, replacing retired Justice David Souter.

Judge Sotomayor becomes the 111th person, the first Hispanic and only the third woman on the nations highest court.

Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Massachusetts, supported Sotomayor but was not present for the vote because of illness.

She will be sworn in at the Supreme Court by Chief Justice John Roberts on Saturday.

President Obama, who selected Sotomayor on May 26, said he was “deeply gratified” by the Senate vote.

“This is a wonderful day for Judge Sotomayor and her family, but I also think it’s a wonderful day for America,” Obama said at the White House.

Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, helped close the debate by stressing the historic nature of the nomination.

“It is distinctively American to continually refine our union, moving us closer to our ideals. Our union is not yet perfected, but with this confirmation, we will be making progress,” Leahy said on the Senate floor.

“Years from now, we will remember this time, when we crossed paths with the quintessentially American journey of Sonia Sotomayor, and when our nation took another step forward through this historic confirmation process.”

Leahy also took a swipe at Sotomayor’s critics for choosing “to ignore[her extensive record of judicial modesty and restraint, a record made over 17 years on the federal bench."

Instead, he said, "they focused on and mischaracterized her rulings in just a handful of her more than 3,600 cases."

Congratulations Judge. A good day for you, a great day for America!

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