Senate confirms Sotomayor, 68 to 31

The Senate today confirmed Sonia Sotomayor as the first Hispanic member of the United States Supreme Court.  The vote was divided along party lines, with just 9 Republicans joining Democrats in voting for Sotomayor, the 111th justice and only the third woman to sit on the high court.  While Republicans continued to express concern that Sotomayor is a judicial activist, Democrats celebrated the historic appointment, citing her distinguished career as well as her compelling success story.