Sotomayor confirmed by vote of 68-31

After two days of floor debate, the Senate voted 68-31 to confirm Second Circuit Judge Sonia Sotomayor as a Justice of the Supreme Court.

Justice Sotomayor will be on the bench for the Sept. 9 reargument of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (08-205) and her first full term will begin Oct. 5. As the 111th Justice, she is the third female, third minority, and first Hispanic jurist to sit on the nation’s highest court. In filling the vacancy left by retired Justice David H. Souter, Justice Sotomayor is the 17th Justice in the bench’s fifth seat. At 55, she is the second youngest current Justice; Chief Justice John G. Roberts is 54.