Theresa Greenfield, the Democrat nominee for the U.S. Senate in Iowa, has publicly announced that she is not in favor of adding additional justices to the Supreme Court.
“Packing the court with more justices would be too divisive,” Greenfield said during a campaign stop at Hardline Coffee Co in Sioux City. “There’s way too much divisiveness going on.”
In addition to her comments, Greenfield has stated that the Supreme Court vacancy should be filled in 2021, after election day. The Supreme Court vacancy came after the death of longtime Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who passed away last month due to complications with cancer.
Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) have consistently dodged questions on whether they are in favor of adding more justices to the Supreme Court.
During the vice-presidential debate, Harris was pressed by Vice President Mike Pence on the issue.
“When you speak about the Supreme Court, I think the American people really deserve an answer, Senator Harris,” said Pence. “Are you and Joe Biden going to pack the court if Judge Amy Coney Barrett is confirmed?”
Despite previously announcing support for court-packing, Harris refused to answer Pence’s question directly and instead delivered an anecdote about President Abraham Lincoln declining to nominate a Supreme Court member during an election year.
In 2019, Harris said she was “absolutely” open to the idea of adding justices to the court.
Last week, Biden was asked whether voters “deserve” to know whether he will pack the Supreme Court. Biden responded, “No, they don’t.”
Greenfield’s remarks make her one of the first Senate Democrat candidates to publicly denounce the addition of seats to the Supreme Court.
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