Republican Gov. Charlie Baker urged President Trump and the U.S. Senate on Saturday to wait until after the election to nominate or confirm a successor for Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died Friday at the age of 87.
"The passing of Justice Ginsburg is not only a loss for the court but for the entire nation, and I urge President Trump and the U.S. Senate to allow the American people to cast their ballots for President before a new justice is nominated or confirmed," Baker said on Twitter on Saturday morning. "The Supreme Court is too important to rush and must be removed from partisan political infighting."
The governor's tweets on Saturday morning came about 14 hours after he mourned Ginsburg's loss on Twitter.
It also came just one day after it was made public that Baker is backing GOP Maine Sen. Susan Collins, who has yet to say if she thinks the nomination of Ginsburg's successor should happen now, or after the election.
Baker's endorsement of Collins sparked a wave of criticism on social media of the governor, who has at times been praised for being above partisanship and has often clashed with Trump. Among those criticizing him was Democratic Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey.
Collins, who is seeking a fifth term, is being challenged by Democrat Sara Gideon, speaker of the Maine House.
Ginsburg died Friday at her home in Washington. She was 87.
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Her death opens the door for Trump and the Senate to speed through a Supreme Court nomination. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell vowed to call for a vote on Trump’s nominee, even though he blocked then-President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nomination in 2016 in an election year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
