Susan Collins, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Dobbs
The documented confirmation votes, statements about precedent, and later reaction to the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision.
Confirmation votes
Susan Collins voted to confirm Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court in 2017 and Brett Kavanaugh in 2018. Gorsuch was confirmed 54–45; Kavanaugh was confirmed 50–48.
What the nominees said about precedent
During their confirmation processes, Gorsuch and Kavanaugh discussed Roe as Supreme Court precedent and emphasized the importance of stare decisis, the doctrine of respecting prior decisions. Neither nominee made an unconditional promise that Roe could never be reconsidered or overruled.
Dobbs and Collins’ response
Gorsuch and Kavanaugh joined the 2022 Dobbs majority that overruled Roe and Casey. After the decision, Collins said the ruling was inconsistent with what the two justices had told her about the importance of long-standing precedent.