▁the ▁S cal ia ▁vac ancy . ▁On ▁September ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁he ▁released ▁a ▁second ▁list ▁of ▁ 1 0 ▁possible ▁nom ine es , ▁this ▁time ▁including ▁three ▁minor ities . ▁Both ▁lists ▁were ▁assemble d ▁by ▁the ▁Federal ist ▁Society ▁and ▁the ▁Heritage ▁Foundation . ▁Days ▁after ▁Trump ' s ▁inaug uration , ▁Polit ico ▁named ▁three ▁individuals ▁as ▁the ▁front - run ners ▁for ▁S cal ia ' s ▁position : ▁Neil ▁G ors uch , ▁Thomas ▁Hard iman ▁and ▁Bill ▁P ry or , ▁with ▁Trump ▁reported ly ▁later ▁narrow ing ▁his ▁list ▁down ▁to ▁G ors uch ▁and ▁Hard iman . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁nom ination , ▁G ors uch , ▁Hard iman , ▁and ▁P ry or ▁were ▁all ▁federal ▁app ell ate ▁jud ges ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁appointed ▁by ▁President ▁George ▁W . ▁Bush . ▁President ▁Trump ▁and ▁White ▁House ▁coun sel ▁Don ▁McG ahn ▁interview ed ▁those ▁three ▁individuals ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁Judge ▁Am ul ▁Th ap ar ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁District ▁Court ▁for ▁Eastern ▁District ▁of ▁Kentucky ▁in ▁the ▁weeks ▁before ▁the ▁nom ination . ▁Trump ▁announced ▁G ors uch ▁as ▁his ▁nom ine e ▁on ▁January ▁ 3 1 . ▁G ors uch ▁was ▁confirmed ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Senate ▁in ▁a ▁ 5 4 – 4 5 ▁vote ▁on ▁April ▁ 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁with ▁votes ▁of ▁ 5 1 ▁Republic ans ▁and ▁