ORLANDO, Fla. — With Republicans moving forward with plans to fill the vacant seat on the U.S. Supreme Court, outside groups are already taking to the airwaves to stake out their positions.
The fight over the supreme court seat vacated by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is moving from the Senate floor to the court of public opinion.
READ: Florida’s Latino vote for president a virtual toss-up, polling shows
While republicans have the votes to fill the seat, Tallahassee-based GOP consultant Jacob Perry points out the narrative is what each side is trying to craft ahead of the vote.
“We’re positioning for the long-term, the next election...2022, 2024, and who is going to come out of this being the most self-righteous,” Perry says.
As UCF Political Science Professor Dr. John Hanley notes, the ad campaigns won’t change whether or not a nominee gets confirmed.
READ: Mnuchin, Powell call for Congress to pass bipartisan coronavirus relief aid package
You see this on both sides of the political aisle. There are internal tensions over tactics and outcomes," Hanley says.
The main goal is to make the other side pay a political price, either for ramming a nominee through, or obstructing the process.
READ: NASA boosts International Space Station’s orbit to avoid unknown space debris
“How the public opinion reacts may determine the strategy,” Hanley adds.
The limited polling we have on this shows Americans are inclined to let whoever wins in November fill the seat, but it’s not an overwhelming majority.
Cox Media Group
