Oct 20, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Only 3% of Americans have no opinion on whether Barrett should join Supreme Court

Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett

Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett. Photo: Anna Moneymaker-Pool/Getty Images

Only 3% of Americans have no opinion on whether Judge Amy Coney Barrett should be confirmed to the Supreme Court, per a Gallup poll released Tuesday.

Why it matters: It's a historic low for those who have no opinion on a pick to the high court in Gallup's initial polling — previously, 19% had no opinion on Merrick Garland, Sonia Sotomayor and John Roberts — and it highlights the extremely polarized nature of today's politics.

By the numbers: 51% of Americans support Barrett's confirmation to be on the Supreme Court, while 47% oppose it, according to Gallup.

  • 52% of independents support Barrett's confirmation — identical to Gallup's initial polling for the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's nomination.

The big picture: Barrett's confirmation has become inextricably linked to President Trump's re-election bid, due to the timing of the vacancy — and Senate Republicans' 2016 decision to block President Obama's nomination of Garland.

What's next: The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected advance Barrett's nomination this week with a full confirmation vote in the Senate expected before Election Day.

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