Jackson tied for highest initial support for Supreme Court nominee: Gallup

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has more public support in a new poll than almost any other recent Supreme Court nominee, with 58 percent of Americans surveyed saying the Senate should confirm her.

Gallup noted that Jackson’s support is 10 percentage points above average, while the percentage of respondents who oppose her confirmation is similar to most past nominees. 

Her support is on the same level as now-Chief Justice John Roberts, who had 59 percent support ahead of his confirmation in 2005, according to the survey giant.

Other recent Supreme Court nominees have hovered around the low 50 percent range of support, and five have fallen below that in other Gallup polls. The average support level for the 12 nominees measured before this year was around 48 percent. 

Of the most recent nominees confirmed to the court, Amy Coney Barrett had 51 percent approval, Neil Gorsuch had 45 percent and Brett Kavanaugh had 41 percent, Gallup added.

Broken down by party preference, 88 percent of Democrats, 55 percent of independents and 31 percent of Republicans said in the new survey that Jackson should be confirmed.

The results stem from a poll conducted between March 1-18. It included 1,017 participants and has a margin of error of 4 percentage points. 

Last month, President Biden nominated Jackson to the Supreme Court to fill the seat set to be vacated after Stephen Breyer’s retirement.

Her confirmation hearing began earlier this week, and she is set to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee again on Wednesday.