Though Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) term is drawing to a conclusion, decisions made by judges he assisted in confirming will continue to influence American culture for many years to come.
The big picture: In 2016, McConnell may be best known for stopping former President Obama from appointing someone to the Supreme Court. Over the next four years, McConnell and the former president Trump worked together to restructure the federal judiciary as a whole, including the Supreme Court.
Zoom out: The Senate successfully confirmed three conservative justices to the Supreme Court and more than 200 judges to lower courts under McConnell's direction, tipping the idealogical balance of the courts to the right.
The big picture: In 2016, McConnell may be best known for stopping former President Obama from appointing someone to the Supreme Court. Over the next four years, McConnell and the former president Trump worked together to restructure the federal judiciary as a whole, including the Supreme Court.
Zoom out: The Senate successfully confirmed three conservative justices to the Supreme Court and more than 200 judges to lower courts under McConnell's direction, tipping the idealogical balance of the courts to the right.
Since the courts have enormous influence over nearly every aspect of public policy, McConnell has long considered his legacy to be reshaping the federal judiciary by appointing young, conservative judges.
This resulted in historic rulings by the Supreme Court that overturned Roe v. Wade, abolished affirmative action, and prioritized religious liberty over homosexual rights.
There may be several decades of conservative decisions to come with the current 6-3 court that includes three conservative justices in their 50s.
Rewind: Eight years prior, the liberals were ready to take the majority on the court. Then McConnell prevented Merrick Garland, Obama's nominee, from ever holding a hearing.
This resulted in historic rulings by the Supreme Court that overturned Roe v. Wade, abolished affirmative action, and prioritized religious liberty over homosexual rights.
There may be several decades of conservative decisions to come with the current 6-3 court that includes three conservative justices in their 50s.
Rewind: Eight years prior, the liberals were ready to take the majority on the court. Then McConnell prevented Merrick Garland, Obama's nominee, from ever holding a hearing.
At the time, McConnell contended that the president and the Senate belonged to separate parties and that the vacancy should not be filled until after the inauguration of the next president.
In 2019, years after Justice Antonin Scalia's resignation, McConnell declared that it was the "most consequential thing I've ever done" and one of his finest moments.
In the end, Trump nominated conservative Neil Gorsuch to the position.
Dig deeper McConnell's toxic relationship with Trump dogged him when he left.
In 2019, years after Justice Antonin Scalia's resignation, McConnell declared that it was the "most consequential thing I've ever done" and one of his finest moments.
In the end, Trump nominated conservative Neil Gorsuch to the position.
Dig deeper McConnell's toxic relationship with Trump dogged him when he left.
