Senate confirms Sotomayer

In a historic 68-31 U.S. Senate vote Thursday, Judge Sonia Sotomayor was confirmed the United States’ first Hispanic Supreme Court justice.

President Barack Obama selected Sotomayor for the Supreme Court on May 26.

Sotomayor will be the 111th person to sit as a Supreme Court justice, and only the third female. The 55-year-old federal judge of 17 years was supported by nine Republicans and all 51 Democrats in the Senate. Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Massachusetts, was not present due to his illness, but supported Sotomayor.

Democrats have claimed Sotomayor as a fair and impartial judge, while Republicans express concerns about her rulings on gun control and affirmative action.

Sotomayor was nominated to replace retired justice David Souter, and is not expected to change the ideological structure of the court.

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts will swear in Sotomayor on Saturday.