Why Evangelicals Want Trump to Pick Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court - CBN News Benjamin Gill, Ben Kennedy

Why Evangelicals Want Trump to Pick Amy Coney Barrett for 

the Supreme Court

06-29-2018

CBN News Benjamin Gill,

Ben Kennedy

The retirement of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy has conservative Christians excited about 

a huge opportunity to shift American laws on issues like religious freedom and abortion. President 

Donald Trump has noted he has a list of 25 names as possible Supreme Court candidates, but there's 

one name that pro-lifers seem to really love.

CBN's Chief Political Correspondent David Brody says evangelical circles are buzzing about 

Amy Coney Barrett.

"Many of my sources, evangelical in nature, love her. They believe that she is the one that if they 

had their dream pick that she would be the one," Brody said on the 700 ClubFriday. "Barrett has 

been very outspoken of her Catholic views and God."

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Barrett is a mother of seven children and a devout Catholic. At just 46-years-old, Barrett holds 

promise for a potential decades-long term on the bench. She once clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia, 

taught law at Notre Dame, and has reported conservative views about protecting religious freedom.

"If President Trump appoints a woman who embraces the properly defined role for judges, it will 

demonstrate that this approach to judging is compelled by principle and not confined by race or 

gender," said Tom Riddle, Deputy Director of the Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial 

Studies and Senior Legal Fellow.

A Barrett nomination could face a very tough fight in the Senate. Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA) 

opposed Barrett vehemently during her Senate confirmation battle for US Court of Appeals for 

the Seventh Circuit. Feinstein even implemented a religious test, blasting Barrett for her deep 

Catholic faith, calling it "dogma."

"When you read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you 

and that's of concern when you come to big issues that large numbers of people have fought for years," 

Feinstein said.

Feinstein specifically referenced a 2006 graduation speech where Barrett made several references 

to God.

Barrett had told graduates, "No matter how exciting any career is, what is it really worth if you don't 

make it part of a bigger life project to know, love and serve the God who made you?"

Sen. Dick Durbin also probed into Barrett's religious beliefs during that 2017 hearing, asking, "Do 

you consider yourself an orthodox Catholic?"

Barrett did finally win approval for that Seventh Circuit post, and earned the votes of a few critical 

Democrat senators from moderate states. That could be key in her chances for Senate approval if 

she is in fact Trump's pick to replace Kennedy.

Senators Manchin (D-WV) and Donnelly (D-IN) voted to approve Barrett for the Seventh Circuit, so 

Brody reports some believe they might vote for her again.

"Look they already voted for her to be a federal appeals court judge, I understand the Supreme Court 

may be different so to speak but they are already on record voting for her," Brody said.

It turns out there are actually three Democrats facing difficult reelection races who could find it 

difficult to oppose Trump's Supreme Court pick. Manchin, Donnelly, and Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of 

North Dakota. All three of them met with Trump Thursday to discuss his upcoming Supreme Court 

nominee.

"I just think you have to go through a process," Manchin said. "I want qualifications. Somebody 

that's well qualified, understands the Constitution and the rule of law."

Watch interview here: Supreme Court selection