Florida’s progressive officials fawned over the recent confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown-Jackson to the United States Supreme Court delighting in the first black woman being confirmed to the high court. Florida’s senators, Marco Rubio (R) and Rick Scott (R), both voted “no” in Brown-Jackson’s final confirmation vote.
Rubio, when assessing Brown-Jackson’s judicial history, viewed her more as a political activist than a judge working within the law.
“I do not support nominees who believe the job of the Supreme Court is to make policy rather than apply the Constitution as written,” he said.
Brown-Jackson’s history as being soft on child pornographers was also a major objection during her questioning before the United States Senate. She previously served on the U.S. Sentencing Commission and asked if there could be “a less-serious child pornography offender who is engaging in the type of conduct in the group experience level because their motivation is the challenge, or to use the technology.”
Brown-Jackson, while in law school, also considered the notion that registering convicts as sex offenders lead to “stigmatization and ostracism.”
Despite Brown-Jackson’s legal track record, Florida’s progressive politicians touted her confirmation amid strong conservative winds in Florida.
“The Senate has voted 53 to 47 to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as the 116th Supreme Court justice,” Florida State Representative Anna Eskamani (D-Orlando) said. “When sworn in this summer, Jackson will be the first Black woman to serve on the nation’s high court. Absolutely incredible.”
The Senate has voted 53 to 47 to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as the 116th Supreme Court justice. When sworn in this summer, Jackson will be the first Black woman to serve on the nation's high court. Absolutely incredible. https://t.co/OCCYVgln35
— Rep. Anna V. Eskamani 🔨 (@AnnaForFlorida) April 7, 2022
Similarly, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried (D) said “Florida is proud” of the judge’s confirmation.
“As a former fellow public defender, I am grateful to know we will have someone ruling on the most important legal cases facing our country, who has a deep understanding of justice, and how often it evades those Americans most in need,” Fried said. “Florida is so proud of Justice Jackson.”
As a former fellow public defender, I am grateful to know we will have someone ruling on the most important legal cases facing our country, who has a deep understanding of justice, and how often it evades those Americans most in need.
Florida is so proud of Justice Jackson.
— Nikki Fried (@NikkiFried) April 7, 2022
And Florida Congresswoman Val Demings (D-FL-10) who is seeking to unseat Rubio later this year in the 2022 midterm elections, said she was “#FloridaProud.”
“I am #FloridaProud of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson for her well-deserved bipartisan appointment to the Supreme Court,” Demings said. “Today is a historic moment and a day for celebration as we move closer to a government that represents all Americans.”
I am #FloridaProud of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson for her well-deserved bipartisan appointment to the Supreme Court. Today is a historic moment and a day for celebration as we move closer to a government that represents all Americans.
— Val Demings (@valdemings) April 7, 2022
Despite the support for Brown-Jackson, recent polls are indicating that Floridians have been supportive of conservative policies and politicians, rather than progressives, in their own state. As a result, politicians like Demings and Fried are finding themselves trailing their Republican opponents in projected polls by significant margins.
Additionally, the progressive Democrats challenging DeSantis and Rubio are trailing in the fundraising category, as well.
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Grant Holcomb is a reporter at The Florida Capital Star and The Star News Network. Follow Grant on Twitter and direct message tips.
Photo “Ketanji Brown Jackson” by Wikicago. CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo “Marco Rubio” by Michael Vadon. CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo “Rick Scott” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0. Background Photo “U.S. Supreme Court” by Jarek Tuszyński. CC BY-SA 3.0.
