Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor has no intention of stepping down, despite some on the left urging her to retire before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, according to sources close to her.
Sotomayor, the most senior liberal justice on the conservative-leaning court, has reportedly conveyed that she remains in good health and believes her presence is more crucial than ever, according to CNN.
“She’s in great health, and the court needs her now more than ever,” said a confidant of the justice.
Progressives have floated the idea of Sotomayor retiring so President Joe Biden could appoint a successor, ensuring the seat remains a strong liberal vote. However, there has been little traction on this suggestion, and Sotomayor has shown no interest in leaving the bench.
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders weighed in on the matter during an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press, stating, “I don’t think it’s sensible for her to step down.”
Given the lengthy process of confirming a Supreme Court nominee—often taking several months—it is unlikely that Biden could secure a new justice before the Republican-controlled Senate takes over in January.
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Sotomayor, 70, has been open about living with type 1 diabetes but has shown no signs of slowing down. She remains an active and persistent questioner during oral arguments and has made numerous public appearances in recent months.
In a speech at Harvard University in May, Sotomayor shared that she sometimes cries after difficult court decisions.
Earlier this year, at the University of California, Berkeley, she spoke candidly about her frustrations with the court’s direction, admitting that “every loss truly traumatizes me in my stomach and in my heart.”
“But I have to get up the next morning and keep on fighting,” she said, underscoring her resolve to continue her work on the nation’s highest court.
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