Senate confirms 200th federal judge under Biden as Democrats surpass Trump's pace

The Senate confirmed the 200th federal judge of Biden's tenure, about a month earlier than when Donald Trump hit that mark in his term.
Gavels and law books are shown, July 14, 2010 in San Francisco, Calif. The Senate is set to confirm the 200th federal judge of President Joe Biden’s tenure. That's about a month before then-President Donald Trump hit the 200 threshold. Trump still holds the edge when it comes to the most impactful confirmations — those to the U.S. Supreme Court and the country’s 13 appellate courts. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, file)

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the 200th federal judge of President Joe Biden‘s tenure, about a month earlier than when Donald Trump hit that mark in his term, though Trump still holds the edge when it comes to the most impactful confirmations — those to the Supreme Court and the country’s 13 appellate courts.

The march to 200 culminated with the confirmation of Angela Martinez as a district court judge in Arizona. The milestone reflects the importance that Biden, a former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., placed on judicial confirmations after Trump put his enormous stamp on the federal judiciary with the confirmation of three Supreme Court justices.

“Reaching 200 judges is a major milestone,” Schumer said just before the 66-28 vote. “Simply put, our 200 judges comprise the most diverse slate of judicial nominations under any president in American history.”