Voinovich Makes 9 GOP Yeas for Sotomayor

As she coasts toward confirmation, Sonia Sotomayor picked up the support of a 9th Republican today, reports MSNBC. Ohio Sen. George Voinovich’s promised yea joins yesterday's announcement by Kit Bond of Missouri and on-again-off-again Obama cabinet nominee Judd Gregg of New Hampshire. Voinovich is among four of six retiring GOP senators who have pledged their support to Sotomayor—which means almost half of her GOP support won’t face reelection.

“Judge Sotomayor is not the nominee I would have selected if I were president, but making a nomination is not my role here today,” Voinovich says in a statement, echoing other considered words from GOP supporters. “I have determined that Judge Sotomayor meets the criteria to become a Justice on the Supreme Court.”