President Donald Trump's administration is working quickly to confirm a large number of federal judges before the end of the year, driven by concerns that Republicans may lose control of the U.S. Senate in the upcoming November 3 midterm elections. During a nine-day Senate recess in August, Trump submitted 13 judicial candidates. Six of these are set to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee, while five others are already under consideration by the full Senate, which requires a simple majority to confirm. With Republicans currently holding a 53-47 majority, a Democratic win in the midterms could limit Trump’s ability to confirm judges once the next Congress begins in 2025. Legal experts say this push is one of Trump’s last major chances to influence the federal judiciary, as the number of available judicial positions is shrinking and retirements are becoming less frequent. The urgency to confirm judges now is a common political strategy in Washington, where leaders aim to secure key positions before potential shifts in legislative power. For example, Democratic President Joe Biden and his allies made significant judicial appointments before the 2022 midterms, when Republicans regained control of the Senate. Trump, who returned to the White House in 2025, has continued his effort to reshape the federal bench, securing 54 additional judicial confirmations since his return. Together, his appointments across both terms make up nearly one-third of the entire federal judiciary. Among those set to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee this week is Zach West, a former attorney with the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office. West’s work defending restrictions on abortion and opposing the exclusion of religious groups from Oklahoma’s charter schools has earned him support from conservative legal groups. Another candidate under review is Lee Rudofsky, a U.S. District Judge from Arkansas who the White House wants to promote to the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis. Rudofsky’s ruling four years ago that limited parts of the Voting Rights Act made him a target for conservative groups. If confirmed, Trump appointees would hold a majority on the 8th Circuit, the first of the nation’s 13 federal appeals courts to be dominated by his judicial choices. Since returning to the presidency in January 2025, Trump and his allies have expressed frustration with judges who blocked administration policies through court orders, especially in response to hundreds of lawsuits challenging executive actions. At the same time, the administration has continued its focus on appointing conservative judges and political allies to trial and appellate courts. Many of these nominees are in their late 30s or early 40s, meaning they could serve lifetime terms and influence legal policy well beyond Trump’s presidency. Judges appointed during Trump’s first term, particularly in Texas and North Dakota, have frequently ruled against policies under President Joe Biden, including those related to immigration, student loans, and LGBTQ+ rights. Senate Democrats argue that recent judicial appointments reflect a focus on personal loyalty, pointing to nominees who avoided stating explicitly that Trump lost the 2020 election, instead citing that Biden was "certified" the winner. The administration maintains that it selects nominees based solely on merit.