WASHINGTON – A divided Senate has approved the nomination of a 38-year-old judge and ally of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to serve on a top federal appeals court, despite Democrats’ objections that he’s inexperienced and biased against the Obama-era health care law.The 51-42, vote Thursday in favor of Justin Walker’s confirmation was nearly along party lines.
Walker, a protege of both McConnell and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, will join the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in September.
The court is widely considered the second-most powerful in the nation and frequently serves as a launching pad for a seat on the Supreme Court.