On July 6, by a vote of 51 to 46, the Senate approved the nomination of Leon Holmes to a federal district judgeship in Arkansas.
Holmes was strongly opposed by pro-abortion groups and homosexual activists. Part of the opposition stems from Holmes' support for the traditional Christian view of marriage. Holmes, a devout Catholic, had written with his wife an article on marriage in which they stated that "the wife is to subordinate herself to the husband" and that "the woman is to place herself under the authority of the man."
Holmes' confirmation came as a surprise to even seasoned Washington insiders, and was secured only after Republican leaders obtained the votes of both of Louisiana's Democrat senators and liberal Sen. Arlen Specter (R.-Pa.).
Arkansas' two Democrat senators-Mark Pryor and Blanche Lincoln-have supported Holmes all along.
His nomination was tied up for 17 months, chiefly by Republican liberals-including both of Maine's Republican senators, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins.
Other Republicans, including Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R.-Tex.) and John Warner (R.-Va.), voted against the nomination as well.
A "yes" vote was a vote in favor of the nomination of Leon Holmes to a federal district judgeship. A "no" vote was a vote against the nomination.
| For the Nomination: 51 | Against the Nomination: 46 |
| REPUBLICANS FOR (45): Alexander Allard Allen Bennett Bond Brownback Bunning Burns Campbell Chambliss Cochran Coleman Cornyn Craig Crapo DeWine Dole Domenici Ensign Enzi Fitzgerald Frist Graham (S.C.) Grassley Gregg Hagel Hatch Inhofe Kyl Lott Lugar McCain McConnell Nickles Roberts Santorum Sessions Shelby Smith Specter Stevens Sununu Talent Thomas Voinovich DEMOCRATS FOR (6): |
REPUBLICANS AGAINST (5): Chafee Collins Hutchison Snowe Warner DEMOCRATS AGAINST (40): INDEPENDENTS AGAINST (1): |
NOT VOTING: 3
| REPUBLICANS (1): | DEMOCRATS (2): |
| Murkowski | Edwards Kerry |
