Ruth Bader Ginsburg death: Trump vows to fill vacancy "without delay"

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a stalwart liberal on the U.S. Supreme Court since 1993, died on Friday aged 87, giving President Donald Trump a chance to expand its conservative majority with a presidential election looming.

Ginsburg, a champion of women's rights who became an icon for American liberals, died at her home in Washington of complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Donald Trump has vowed to fill the vacancy created by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg “without delay.”

Who could fill the seat

Amy Coney Barrett

Judge Barrett is a member of the Federal Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and is the likely front-runner for the job as Republicans see advantages in replacing Justice Ginsburg with a woman. A former law professor at Notre Dame, Judge Barrett has a strong reputation in conservative circles.

Amul Thapar

A member of the Federal Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and the first federal judge of South Asian descent, Judge Thapar was also the first appeals court candidate nominated by Mr. Trump after he picked Justice Neil M. Gorsuch for the Supreme Court. Judge Thapar is a personal favorite of Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader who carries a lot of sway in this process.

Raymond Kethledge

Judge Kethledge is a member of the Federal Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit since 2008, and is considered a strong adherent of a strict interpretation of the Constitution, but not considered the sort of choice Donald Trump likes to see in high-profile judicial nominations.

James Ho

Judge Ho sits on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and is a former clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas. Born in Taiwan, he is a new addition to Mr. Trump’s list of candidates for the Supreme Court. He also formerly served as a counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee, and worked in the Justice Department on civil rights.

Thomas M. Hardiman

Judge Hardiman sits on the Federal Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, in Philadelphia, and was the first member of his family to graduate from college. His compelling life story, coupled with a winning personality, has appealed to president Trump, as has his solid record of conservative rulings.

William H. Pryor Jr.

Judge Pryor, who sits on the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, in Atlanta, is a committed conservative who this month wrote a majority opinion ruling that people with felony criminal records in Florida were ineligible to vote unless they paid back all of their outstanding court fines and fees.

Voters prefer Biden to choose

Voters preferred Joe Biden over President Trump to pick the next Supreme Court justice, according to recent polls by The New York Times and Siena College.

Hundreds of admirers of Justice Ginsburg made their way to the Supreme Court on Friday night, holding candles, singing “Amazing Grace” and chanting her initials: “R.B.G., R.B.G., R.B.G.” .

“She stood up for me, and she stood up for you,” said Molly Gilligan of Arlington, Va. “This is a devastating moment, but she gave us a lot to celebrate, as well.”