GOP senator says he would try to vote for SCOTUS nominee even if COVID-19 positive

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said on Monday that he would try to return to the Senate to vote for President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee even if he is still positive for the coronavirus.  

“If we have to go in and vote, I’ve already told leadership I’ll go in a moon suit,” Johnson told KHOW, a Colorado radio station. “We think this is pretty important. I think people can be fairly confident that Mitch McConnell is dedicated to holding this vote.” 

Pressed if he would go in to vote even if he, hypothetically, tested positive the day before the Senate’s vote on Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination, Johnson added: “I would certainly try to find a way. Again making sure that everyone was safe.” 

Johnson is one of three Republican senators who have said since Friday that they tested positive for the coronavirus. 

Unlike Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Johnson is not on the Judiciary Committee, which is responsible for sending Barrett’s nomination to the floor, and he was not at the White House event earlier this month where Trump announced Barrett as his pick to succeed the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 

Republicans are vowing to move forward with their timeline to confirm Barrett before the Nov. 3 election, even though Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will try to adjourn the Senate, absent brief pro forma sessions, later Monday.  

But the Senate’s outbreak of COVID-19 is complicating the timeline for the Supreme Court fight. In addition to the three senators currently positive for the coronavirus, an additional three senators are working remotely due to exposure from their colleagues, though they’ve tested negative.  

That caps McConnell’s previous 53-47 seat majority at 47 seats for at least a week. Sens. James Lankford (R-Okla.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) have said they expected to end their quarantine next week, which would bring McConnell to 50 members. 

The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to start Barrett’s hearing on Oct. 12, with Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) planning to hold a committee vote on Oct. 22. That would pave the way for the full Senate to take up Barrett’s nomination during the final week of October.