WASHINGTON: Republican senators meeting with U.S. Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett on Tuesday praised the conservative judge picked for the lifetime post by President Donald Trump, but faced questions about whether she should recuse herself from potential election-related cases that could reach the court.
Barrett began holding the customary meetings with individual senators that precede Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings, making Majority Leader Mitch McConnell her first stop. A favorite of religious conservatives, Barrett stood silently for reporters and TV cameras, flanked by Vice President Mike Pence and McConnell.
Senator Ted Cruz, a Judiciary Committee member, said Barrett should not recuse herself if she is confirmed and the justices are called upon to decide disputes arising from the Nov. 3 election in which Trump is seeking a second term in office.
“The…