Replication data for: The Role of Qualifications in the Confirmation of Nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court

A considerable number, though, aim to compel elected actors to focus on the candidates' qualifications rather than on their political preferences. Without taking a normative position on these sorts of proposals, we demonstrate empirically that the process leading to the appointment of (at least) Supreme Court justices may not be the "mess" that the proposals suggest.

While it is true that U.S. Senators are more likely to cast votes for nominees who are ideologically proximate to them, it is also the case that the nominees' qualifications play a significant role in accounting for the choices Senators make.