Democrats Rally At Young, Braun Offices Over Supreme Court Vacancy

Indiana Democrats are calling on U.S. Sens. Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.) to wait to vote on a nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court until after the election.

A small group rallied outside the Republican senators’ Indianapolis offices Monday in the wake of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death late last week.

The future of reproductive and LGBTQ rights and health care access could be in the balance with Ginsburg’s replacement. State Senate candidate Theresa Bruno said that’s why the fight is personal for her. She had a brain aneurysm a few years ago – a pre-existing condition that would threaten her ability to get insurance without the protections provided by the Affordable Care Act.

“We have like 45 days until the election and I really don’t think we have enough time to vet a Supreme Court nominee,” Bruno said.

Young has been been silent on whether he'll vote for President Donald Trump’s nominee before the Nov. 3 election. Braun told the Indianapolis Star he would.

Join the conversation and sign up for the Indiana 2020 Two-Way. Text "elections" to 73224. Your comments and questions in response to our weekly text help us find the answers you need on COVID-19 and the 2020 election.

Both Young and Braun were elected – in 2016 and 2018, respectively – amid major Supreme Court nomination debates. That suggests voters sent them to the Senate to vote for a conservative nominee.

But state Senate candidate Belinda Drake said times – and communities – have changed.“Voters have become more aware of what’s going on not just in their communities but what’s going on in our Indiana Statehouse and what’s going on in our country," Drake said. "And voters are asking for everybody to wait to nominate someone to the Supreme Court.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already said Trump’s nominee will get a vote on the Senate floor.

Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.