WASHINGTON, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- U.S. Senate Democrats have broken a Republican filibuster on a federal appellate court nomination President Barack Obama made in March.
On a 70-29 vote, the Senate agreed Tuesday to end debate on the nomination of Indiana Judge David Hamilton to fill a vacancy on the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, CNN reported.
Hamilton was Obama's first nominee to the federal court and political analysts said at the time the Democratic president chose a centrist to signal to Senate conservatives he'd prefer to avoid ideological fights over court nominees. However, after the Senate Judiciary Committee approved Hamilton's nomination in June, top Senate Republicans filibustered, arguing he is too liberal, CNN said.
The Senate is likely to approve Hamilton's nomination relatively quickly, the U.S. news network said.
