### Senate Democrats Contemplate Urging Justice Sotomayor to Step Down Amid Trump's Election Victory

Senate Democrats are deep in heated discussions over whether to convince U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to resign before President-elect Donald Trump assumes office, according to a report by Politico. Sotomayor, who is a 70-year-old diabetic, serves as a reliable liberal voice in the high court and is renowned for being its first Hispanic justice.

Following Trump's significant electoral win, members of the Senate's Democratic caucus explored the sensitive issue. Despite the discourse, various senators remain hesitant to publicly address the matter or directly urge Sotomayor to step down, citing her health as a concern. According to a 2015 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the average lifespan for women with type 1 diabetes is around 68 years.

Concerns have arisen regarding the timing and feasibility of confirming a new justice before President Biden’s lame-duck session concludes. As one source pointed out, any potential resignation could lead to complications if Democrats do not have unanimous support for a nominee. For instance, uncertainty looms over whether Democrat-turned-independent West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, as well as Republican Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, would uphold their backing.

A former Senate Democratic aide underscored the improbability of achieving such a confirmation, calling efforts to do so a "fool's errand." The aide emphasized that even with Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer's efforts, securing a confirmation in time remains highly unlikely. Some believe it would be more strategic to focus on confirming other lower-court judges during this brief period.

In case of Sotomayor's resignation, some Democrats have suggested Washington, DC Circuit Judge J. Michelle Childs as a potential moderate replacement. Childs has previously garnered bipartisan support, with her name appearing on President Biden’s shortlist and receiving commendation from Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Lindsey Graham. Graham described Childs as a "fair-minded, highly gifted jurist" with widespread support in her state.

The whisper campaign to remove Sotomayor began last year, causing friction among progressives, who labeled the effort "ableist." The urgency to address Supreme Court appointments stemmed from the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death at age 87 on September 18, 2020, just before the end of President Trump’s first term, which led to the swift appointment of Justice Amy Coney Barrett, reinforcing the court's conservative majority.

With stakes high and time running out, Democrats continue to weigh the potential risks and benefits of pushing for Sotomayor’s resignation.