Senate Democrats confirmed their 235th judge under President Joe Biden, eclipsing the 234 judges confirmed during President-elect Donald Trump's first administration.
Biden has now appointed about a fourth of the overall federal judiciary, with Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., leading the Senate Judiciary Committee.
"Two years, we've had a tied Senate and a tied committee, [and] we reported out almost 100 judges," Durbin said to Politico. "Pretty good, huh? You can't say yes, but I'll say it for you: pretty damn good."
Democrats are expected to pressure Republicans to maintain the practice that requires sign off from a state's two senators for lower-level spots on the federal bench, Politico reported. Incoming Senate Judiciary Chair Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, told Politico he will continue the tradition.
There are more judicial slots in large blue states like California, New York, and Illinois that will require two Democrat senators to sign off on any Trump pick.
"There are way more district judges in Democratic states than there are in Republican states," Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, said to Politico. "For us to let the district court ... slip ... would create a real structural problem over the long haul."
Democrats hope filling district court judgeships with fewer conservative picks will be a first line of defense against the Trump administration, Politico reported. District courts often have the first say on challenges to federal policies.
Republicans tipped their hat to Durbin for his ability to get so many judges confirmed.
"Dick Durbin has sadly been very effective. He's been very good. I wish he hadn't been," Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., a member of the Judiciary Committee, said to Politico. "He's run the committee really, really efficiently. All I can say is: I hope Republicans will look at what he's done in these last four years," Hawley said.
Biden will leave office with just 36 current federal court vacancies and 11 future ones as judges announce planned retirements. When Trump took office, he had 112 vacancies to fill.
Biden started his term with 49 current vacancies and five future ones.
Trump will be able to nominate judges in large red states like Texas and Florida.
"I can't wait for President Trump to nominate some more judges — to me that was one of his great legacies," said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, to Politico.
Biden recently vetoed a bill that would add 66 district court judgeships after House Republicans passed the bill following the 2024 election.