{"id":2686462,"date":"2026-10-17T13:55:59","date_gmt":"2026-10-17T17:55:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/scotus-hangs-in-the-balance-alito-shuts-down-retirement-talks-as-midterms-threaten-gop-path-to-confirm-successor\/"},"modified":"2026-10-17T13:58:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-17T17:58:15","slug":"scotus-hangs-in-the-balance-alito-shuts-down-retirement-talks-as-midterms-threaten-gop-path-to-confirm-successor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/scotus-hangs-in-the-balance-alito-shuts-down-retirement-talks-as-midterms-threaten-gop-path-to-confirm-successor\/","title":{"rendered":"SCOTUS Hangs in the Balance: Alito Shuts Down Retirement Talks as Midterms Threaten GOP Path to Confirm Successor"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">36<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fscotus-hangs-in-the-balance-alito-shuts-down-retirement-talks-as-midterms-threaten-gop-path-to-confirm-successor%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2686462&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito stated he has no plans to resign, even if Democrats regain control of the Senate. He confirmed he intends to stay through the current term and dismissed speculation about retirement, despite potential opportunities for younger nominees if justices like Clarence Thomas or himself were to step down. The article highlights the political context, including past Senate confirmations, partisan tactics, and recent polling favoring Democrats to regain control of Congress. Additionally, there was a corrected report from NPR regarding Alito&#8217;s retirement plans. The piece also covers the influence of political spending and election dynamics shaping the upcoming midterm elections.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Alito said that he will not step down if Democrats take back the Senate, according to a Bloomberg Law interview published Oct. 6.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Alito dismissed speculation that he would retire if Democrats won back the Senate after the midterm elections, which would allow President Donald Trump to appoint a younger successor confirmed before Democrats had a chance to vote down the nomination, <a class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__link\" href=\"https:\/\/news.bloomberglaw.com\/us-law-week\/supreme-courts-alito-plans-to-stay-even-if-democrats-win-senate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">according<\/a> to Bloomberg Law.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Republicans could potentially confirm a younger successor if 76-year-old Alito or 78-year-old Clarence Thomas retired, though neither have expressed interest in leaving the court.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">\u201cI intend to stick around through this term,\u201d Alito said. \u201cI made that decision many months ago.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">The Senate confirmed Alito to the high court in 2006 after then-President George W. Bush nominated him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">If Alito or Thomas stepped down, Senate Republicans would have until Jan. 3 to confirm a new Trump-appointed justice in the event that Democrats win back the Senate in November. Republicans rushed the confirmation of Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett right before the 2020 election.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Senate Republicans blocked a vote on any consideration or vote on confirming former Attorney General Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court in 2016 after then-President Barack Obama appointed him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">NPR retracted a story in June that claimed Alito was stepping down. NPR legal affairs correspondent\u00a0Nina Totenberg said she misheard an announcement regarding retirements while leaving the Supreme Court on the final day of session. She said it was the worst professional mistake she made in her 50-year career.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Democrats were in a strong position to take back the House and Senate as of Tuesday, with RealClearPolitics\u2019 Generic Congressional Vote <a class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/polls\/state-of-the-union\/generic-congressional-vote\">showing<\/a> Democrats at 50.6% and Republicans at 42.3%. More than half of registered voters, 53%, said they would vote for Democrats if the election were currently held, while 41% preferred Republicans, according to a PBS News\/NPR\/Marist <a class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/newshour\/politics\/democrats-lead-in-new-poll-as-trump-looms-over-midterms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">poll<\/a> from Sept. 23.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Independent voters preferred Democrats by a 25-point margin, according to the poll.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Republican political action committees (PACs) poured unprecedented amounts of money into deep red states and districts, such as Texas and Kansas. The Senate Leadership Fund, Senate Republicans\u2019 main super PAC, paused spending in North Carolina, a battleground state, and launched a seven-figure ad campaign to prevent a Democrat from flipping Republican Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall\u2019s seat.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">The Senate GOP campaign arm planned to pour $5 million into South Carolina to help Republican South Carolina Sen. Darline Graham, who held a slight lead against Democratic South Carolina Senate nominee Annie Andrews.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Democrats <a class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__link\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/AdImpact_Pol\/status\/2107200695183282418?%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2107200695183282418%7Ctwgr%5Ed9566650942ab2cfbf032a3ab930701f97520418%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&#038;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fdailycaller.com%2F2026%2F10%2F06%2Fdemocrats-ad-spending-north-carolina-senate-race%2F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">slashed<\/a> spending in North Carolina since their candidate, former Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, was comfortably ahead in the polls.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter\u2019s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact <a href=\"http:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/mailto:licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org\">licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]] = document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display = 'block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display = 'none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src = firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display = 'inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id'] = firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting = jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display = 'none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display = 'block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> \t     \t\t\t\t\t\t     \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (BA1)\")<\/script> \t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/body><\/html><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito stated he will not resign if Democrats regain the Senate, per a Bloomberg Law interview on October 6. He rejected rumors that he would retire if Democrats took control after the midterms, which could enable President Trump to appoint a younger replacement<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2686463,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Untitled-design-8.jpeg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[4430,6203,7408,7620,32275],"class_list":["post-2686462","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-alito","tag-gop","tag-midterms","tag-retirement","tag-supreme-court"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Untitled-design-8.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2686462","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2686462"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2686462\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2686466,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2686462\/revisions\/2686466"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2686463"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2686462"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2686462"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2686462"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}