That Was Fast: Blumenthal Now Calls For SCOTUS Vote After Election

Judiciary Committee member Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., talks to media on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 3, 2017, after FBI Director James Comey testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing: "Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation." (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Senate Judiciary Committee member Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., talks to media on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 3, 2017, after FBI Director James Comey testified before the committee's hearing: "Over... Senate Judiciary Committee member Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., talks to media on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 3, 2017, after FBI Director James Comey testified before the committee's hearing: "Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation." (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) MORE LESS
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If you blinked you might have missed it.

After initially saying the Senate “should do nothing to artificially delay” the consideration of the next Supreme Court justice in the wake of Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) now says a confirmation vote for President Trump’s next Supreme Court pick should take place after the 2018 midterm elections.

NBC News’ Garrett Haake captured Blumenthal’s original sentiment just before 3 p.m. ET:

By about 4 p.m., it appeared Blumenthal realized that was an untenable position:

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) successfully blocked President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court pick following Justice Antonin Scalia’s death in 2016, arguing that the American people should have a voice in the choice by electing the next president.

TPM is rounding up Democratic senators’ positions on the precedent McConnell set here.

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