The stakes of the 2020 election just got significantly higher.
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a fierce advocate for justice and equality, died on Friday at age 87, which means her seat on the Supreme Court is now vacant.
Per a statement from the Supreme Court, Ginsburg — who was nominated for the seat back in 1993 by President Bill Clinton — died from “complications of metastatic pancreas cancer” according to a Supreme Court statement as reported by the New York Times.
Justice Ginsburg was a celebrated feminist icon, and her death is a painfully tragic loss for the country. But with Donald Trump in office, an election approaching, and Senator Mitch McConnell eager to fill a Supreme Court vacancy in 2020, her loss could have drastically negative impacts on the future of the Supreme Court and our nation as a whole. Following her death, McConnell released a statement saying that “President Trump’s nominee will receive a vote on the floor of the United States Senate,” according to Politico reporter Andrew Desiderio.
According to NPR, Ginsburg shared the following final wish with her granddaughter, Clara Spera, shortly before she died: “My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.”
Ginsburg was a champion for women’s rights who consistently fought to protect abortion rights and achieve gender equality. So the fact that her seat is now open — and Republicans have voiced a desire to fill it as soon as possible — sent waves of panic through the country.
If you’re looking for ways to take action and protect Justice Ginsburg’s Supreme Court seat, the first thing you can do is pick up the phone and call the U.S. Capitol switchboard. Connect with your Senator, share your fears, and demand that they hold the seat open until after the 2020 presidential election.
The phone number for the Capitol switchboard, through which you can call your Senator and demand no nominee is voted on until after the election, is 202-224-3121.
— Andrew Taverrite (@AndrewTaverrite) September 18, 2020
Since it’s a Friday night, Congressional voicemail boxes may fill up fast, so another immediate way you can speak out is by sending an email to your Senator. You can find contact information here.
You can also learn more about the Senate seats up for grabs (and seats in need of defending) at flipthesenate.com. The site details actions you can take to help flip the Senate, explains how you can volunteer, and provides information on the Democratic candidates in need of support.
Voicing your beliefs that Justice Ginsburg’s vacant Supreme Court seat should not be filled until after the 2020 election is crucial. And it’s important to start mobilizing before a potential nomination is made.
This is a developing story.