The Election Is Over, But Confirmation Votes Aren’t

Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) is urging his colleagues not to let the recent election delay the confirmation of deserving candidates, including U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas nominee James Sullivan.

After Republicans suffered harsh losses in the election last week, many Republican lawmakers will not be returning to the next Congress – making voting attendance for these last two months a roadblock in confirming judicial nominees before the next Congress begins.

“An election result does not diminish a record of ability and integrity,” Sen. Cornyn said on X. “He should be confirmed.”

Before serving as a Texas Supreme Court Justice, Sullivan was general counsel to former Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) and assistant solicitor general of Texas. After graduating from Harvard Law School and Rice University, Sullivan clerked for Judge Thomas Griffith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Seeking a four-year term in his first bid for elected office last Tuesday, Sullivan lost to Democrat Chari Kelly, who currently serves on an Austin-based state appellate court. Democrats also swept statewide races, including four Texas Supreme Court seats, reducing the Republican majority on the state’s highest civil court from 9-0 to 5-4.

Sens. Cornyn and Ted Cruz (R-TX) both previously endorsed the Texas Supreme Court justice for the federal bench, arguing Sullivan had earned strong marks through their bipartisan judicial vetting process.

“Senator Cruz and I previously advanced him for the federal bench after he earned high marks from the bipartisan Federal Judicial Evaluation Committee we established to vet Texas nominees,” Sen. Cornyn said.

Sullivan has also received support from President Donald Trump himself via Truth Social this week.

“James is an incredible jurist and lawyer, and will make an outstanding Federal District Court Judge,” Trump said.