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By Anna Skinner
Associate News Editor
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Senate Republicans are heading into a packed lame-duck session with limited time to advance President Donald Trump’s agenda before Democrats take control of the chamber in January, and confirming his remaining federal judicial nominees is emerging as one of their biggest priorities.
With less than two months remaining before the new Congress is sworn in, Republicans have a narrow window to push Trump’s nominees through the Senate amid a crowded slate of year-end business. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has publicly urged Republicans to move quickly, warning that once Democrats take control in January, Trump could struggle to secure another judicial confirmation.
So far, the current Congress has confirmed 57 judges since Trump’s second term began in 2025. There are currently 28 federal judicial vacancies, with 11 nominees pending for existing vacancies. Another five nominees are pending for future vacancies, meaning 16 judicial nominees remain awaiting Senate action overall.
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"We expect all judicial nominees pending in the Senate to be confirmed this year," a White House official told Newsweek on Friday evening.
While the White House expressed confidence that the nominees will clear the Senate, DeSantis has framed the coming weeks as a now-or-never opportunity for Republicans.
“Every single federal judicial vacancy needs to be filled in the lame duck session,” DeSantis posted on X on Friday. “The Senate should pull all-nighters for as long as it takes. Democrats [won’t] confirm a single Trump judge once they take over.”
The urgent messaging from DeSantis comes as Democrats had overwhelming success with the midterm elections this past week after flipping at least seven U.S. Senate seats and more than two dozen U.S. House seats, with some races still undecided three days after midterms.
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Judicial Nominees Most Likely to Be Confirmed
Of the 16 current nominees, three stand the greatest chance of being confirmed before the new Senate takes over because they have already cleared the judiciary committee. They are:
- Anna St. John, of Louisiana: St. John was nominated in July to be the United States Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit as Judge Kurt Engelhardt is retiring. On September 24, she cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee and was placed on the Senate Executive Calendar, where she awaits a confirmation vote.
- Daniel Desmond Domenico, of Colorado: Domenico was nominated to be United States Circuit Judge for the Tenth Circuit to fill retiring Judge Timothy Tymkovich’s seat. Domenico’s nomination was received by the Senate in May. In July, he cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee and was placed on the Senate Executive Calendar, but has not yet received a confirmation vote.
- Gregory Carl Cook, of Alabama: Cook was nominated to serve as a U.S. district judge for the Northern District of Alabama, replacing Judge R. David Proctor, who is retiring. His nomination was received by the Senate in July. In September, he cleared the Judiciary Committee and was placed on the Senate Executive Calendar.
Since all three of these nominees have already cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee, they stand the greatest chance at confirmation before the end of the lame-duck session.
How the Judicial Confirmation Process Works
Federal district and appeals court judges are nominated by the president, confirmed by the Senate and receive lifetime appointments, making judicial appointments one of a president’s most lasting legacies.
Federal judicial nominees must first pass through the Senate Judiciary Committee before reaching the full Senate, where confirmation requires a simple majority vote.
What Happens Next
The Senate is expected to return to Washington on Monday, beginning the post-election lame-duck stretch. The Senate’s tentative calendar leaves lawmakers in session for portions of November and December, with a Thanksgiving recess from November 23 to 27 and a target adjournment date of December 18. That gives Republicans roughly six weeks, with considerably fewer actual legislative days, to act on pending judicial nominations alongside other year-end business.
The current 119th Congress ends when the terms of the incoming 120th Congress begin on January 3. At that point, control of the Senate changes hands and the new Congress begins its own session.
Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Gray R. Thomas
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