Republicans try out midterm messages during Ketanji Brown Jackson hearings

It was always unlikely that there would be many Republicans voting to confirm Judge Kentanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, and they will only be able to delay — not to stop her — from becoming the first Black woman justice. But the GOP was able to use the Judiciary Committee hearings this week as a vehicle to give their midterm messages a dry run. 

It's unclear at this point whether and how the war in Ukraine and related policy might influence November's elections. But when it comes to domestic issues, several Republicans saw Jackson as a foil for themes they hope will not only motivate their base of supporters, but also help sway white suburban voters who turned away from the party during the Trump era. 

Republicans on the committee focused much of their questioning around crime, critical race theory, and gender identity, issues at the center of today's culture war. It was a coordinated effort. The Republican National Committee, for example, tweeted a gif that crossed out KBJ (Jackson's initials) and replaced it with CRT.