The Senate confirmed Maria Lanahan, a judge appointed by former President Donald Trump, in a 52-45 vote on Tuesday. Lanahan, who previously served as principal deputy solicitor general in Missouri’s attorney general’s office, will join the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. The confirmation solidified the court’s status as a “conservative stronghold,” according to reports.

Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) praised Lanahan’s qualifications, stating she demonstrated “the highest intellectual and moral quality” during her tenure in the attorney general’s office. He highlighted her work on legal battles involving abortion access, including defending Missouri’s strict abortion ban. Schmitt also credited Trump for prioritizing Missouri’s judicial appointments, noting the swift approval of four conservative nominees.

The vote marked the culmination of efforts by Republican senators Josh Hawley and Schmitt to reshape the Eastern District’s ideological composition. Trump had nominated four candidates in May 2024 to fill vacancies created during President Joe Biden’s term, as Democratic judges retired or left active service. Biden never submitted replacements for these seats, which required bipartisan support under the Senate’s “blue slip” tradition.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune signaled plans to alter confirmation rules, aiming to accelerate the process for Trump’s executive branch nominees. A senior Republican aide revealed discussions about using the “nuclear option” to bypass Democratic delays, potentially enabling swift votes on over 100 blocked nominations before the Senate recesses in September. Thune had warned of this move since July if Democrats refused to expedite the process.

A working group led by Thune included Republican senators Katie Britt, James Lankford, Ron Johnson, Eric Schmitt, and Ted Budd, focusing on addressing the backlog of executive branch nominees.