Hamilton vs. full senate

U.S. District Judge David Hamilton finally made it past the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee this morning and now will face the entire Senate in his attempt to sit on the bench at the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. Of course, the committee members voted along party lines, and some even wanted again to postpone the vote for more discussions. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., laid down the law and said they vote now. Good for him! Why keep pushing this back? Oh I remember why: politics. The same reason Indiana University Maurer School of Law Professor Dawn Johnsen hasn’t been confirmed yet.

Now the fate of Judge Hamilton’s appellate career lies with the full Senate. If he faced this much opposition in the committee hearing, what will his hearing with the entire Senate be like? Is the hard part over or will he face just as much opposition by the full Senate? What do you like for his chances to be confirmed?