Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito will likely be confirmed by the U.S. Senate as early as today, despite opposition from both Rhode Island senators.
Both Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., and Sen. Lincoln Chafee '75, R-R.I., have said they will vote against confirmation for Alito, who is currently a federal judge and considered a conservative jurist.
Reed announced his opposition last week, but Chafee waited until Monday to announce his decision at a press conference. A moderate Republican who supports abortion rights, Chafee chose to oppose Alito partially out of concern that he would not uphold the Supreme Court's 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion.
"I'm very concerned about the slow eroding of women's reproductive freedom," he said at Monday's press conference, according to the Providence Journal.
Up for re-election this fall, Chafee may pay a high political price for his vote - he is being challenged in the Republican primary by Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey, who was quick to blast Chafee for his decision.
"On key votes, Senator Chafee sides with the liberal special interests," Laffey said in a press release. "Rhode Island is not well served by Senator Chafee's rejection of this independent, highly qualified man for the Supreme Court, or by Senator Chafee's inability to make a firm decision, which once again made him irrelevant to the process in the Senate."
