Senate Confirms Rebecca Taibleson to Seventh Circuit Despite Conservative Opposition

The Senate confirmed Rebecca Taibleson to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit by a vote of 52-46, filling the seat vacated by Judge Diane Sykes who assumed senior status on October 1, 2025. Taibleson, who served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, previously clerked for conservative Justice Antonin Scalia and Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his time on the D.C. Circuit.

The confirmation proved contentious within conservative circles, with some questioning Taibleson’s conservative credentials. However, Advancing American Freedom, founded by former Vice President Mike Pence, defended her nomination to dispel ‘myths’ that she was a ‘secret liberal.’ Wisconsin’s senators split their vote along party lines, with Republican Ron Johnson voting yes and Democrat Tammy Baldwin voting no.

The confirmation continues Trump’s systematic reshaping of the federal appeals courts, particularly the Seventh Circuit covering Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana. Legal observers noted the extended vetting process reflected heightened scrutiny of judicial nominees’ ideological reliability among conservative activists, demonstrating tensions within the conservative legal movement over how to maintain ideological purity while filling judicial vacancies.