# At Large Circuit Nominees?

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/at-large-circuit-nominees/
- Published: 2026-11-13T05:46:41+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-13T06:21:27+00:00
- Original publisher: Reason (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://reason.com/volokh/2026/11/13/at-large-circuit-nominees/
- Topics: Politics

## Key points

- The author proposes circuit-wide recommendations for appeals court vacancies.
- Senators would advise, but no longer hold a blue-slip veto.
- The idea depends on blue slips ending for district court nominees.

## Summary

The article argues that if the Senate’s “blue slip” practice is dropped for district court nominees, it should also be abandoned for circuit court nominees. It proposes that presidents invite recommendations from senators across an entire appeals court circuit, rather than treating a seat as belonging to one state, then select the strongest candidate.

The author says wider consultation could make nominations slower and bring in recommendations from senators with weaker records, but argues the White House could screen candidates and give more weight to senators who have chosen strong judges. The proposal is a thought experiment: senators would retain the power to reject nominees in confirmation votes, while losing the customary ability to block them through blue slips.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.