Vivek Ramaswamy Unveils Potential Nominees to Supreme Court, Appellate Courts If Elected

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy calls his list of potential U.S. Supreme Court and appellate court nominees “some of our nation’s brightest judicial minds.”

In a press release, Ramaswamy offered nine candidates for the Supreme Court, including six circuit court judges, former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement, and Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Ted Cruz (R-TX).

The appellate judges include:

Judge James Ho of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

Judge Lawrence Van Dyke of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Judge Lisa Branch of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

Judge Thomas Hardiman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Judge Justin Walker of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit

Judge John Bush of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

For the federal appeals courts, the 37-year-old entrepreneur listed seven potential individuals he would consider nominating if he is elected president:

Judge Martha Pacold of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

Judge Sarah Pitlyk of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri

Judge Kathryn Mizelle of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida

Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas

Judge Brantley Starr of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas

Judge Stephen Alexander Vaden of the U.S. Court of International Trade

Judge Ryan Holte of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims

“Our courts are the last line of defense against an increasingly hostile federal government that seeks to curtail our freedoms,” Ramaswamy said in a statement.

The release added that the list was forged through what he called a “meticulous vetting process.” 

This list is likely to generate questions. Some of these names were to be expected. Others will surprise some, both because of names that were included and others that were not.

Federal judicial nominees continue to be a topic of intense interest among GOP voters, as recent Supreme Court decisions continue to highlight the impact those lifetime appointments have for the nation.