WASHINGTON (AP) — Reactions are pouring in now that President Joe Biden has nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. Democrats are hailing the nomination of a Black woman to the high court, a first in the nation’s history.

Democratic Sen. Cory Booker calls it “a Jackie Robinson moment for our nation.” Republican reaction was respectful but cautious. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell says the Senate “must conduct a rigorous, exhaustive review of Judge Jackson’s nomination as befits a lifetime appointment to our highest Court.” Members of both parties said they look forward to meeting the judge as her nomination moves forward.

Quotes on Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the Supreme Court:

President Joe Biden: “For too long, our government, our courts, haven’t looked like America. I believe it’s time that we have a court that reflects the full talents and greatness of our nation with a nominee of extraordinary qualifications, and that we inspire all young people to believe that they can one day serve their country at the highest level.”

Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson: “As I have pursued this professional path, and if I’m fortunate enough to be confirmed as the next associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, I can only hope that my life and career, my love of this country and the Constitution, and my commitment to upholding the rule of law and the sacred principles upon which this great nation was founded, will inspire future generations of Americans.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.: “With her exceptional qualifications and a record of evenhandedness, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson will be a justice who will uphold the Constitution and protect the rights of all Americans, including the voiceless and the vulnerable. She’s a true public servant and a model jurist.”

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill.: “To be the first to make history in our nation you need to have an exceptional life story. Judge Jackson’s achievements are well known to the Senate Judiciary Committee as we approved her to the D.C. Circuit less than a year ago with bipartisan support. We will begin immediately to move forward on her nomination with the careful, fair, and professional approach she and America are entitled to.”

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.: “The Senate must conduct a rigorous, exhaustive review of Judge Jackson’s nomination as befits a lifetime appointment to our highest Court. This is especially crucial as American families face major crises that connect directly to our legal system, such as skyrocketing violent crime and open borders.”

Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary panel: “Our review will be as fair and respectful as it is complete and comprehensive. That is what this process demands and what the American people expect. … I look forward to meeting with Judge Jackson face to face on Capitol Hill in the coming days.”

Former President Barack Obama: “Judge Jackson has already inspired young Black women like my daughters to set their sights higher, and her confirmation will help them believe they can be anything they want to be.”

West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, a moderate Democrat: “Just as I have done with previous Supreme Court nominees, I will evaluate Judge Jackson’s record, legal qualifications and judicial philosophy to serve on the highest court in the land. I look forward to meeting with Judge Jackson before determining whether to provide my consent.”

Maine Sen. Susan Collins, a moderate Republican who voted to confirm Jackson to the appeals court last year: “Ketanji Brown Jackson is an experienced federal judge with impressive academic and legal credentials. I will conduct a thorough vetting of Judge Jackson’s nomination and look forward to her public hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee and to meeting with her in my office.”

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican who also voted to confirm Jackson to the appeals court: “I’ve been clear that previously voting to confirm an individual to a lower court does not signal how I will vote for a Supreme Court justice. I am committed to doing my due diligence before making a final decision on this nominee. Being confirmed to the Supreme Court — the nation’s highest tribunal, and a lifetime appointment — is an incredibly high bar to achieve.”

Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, a GOP member of the Judiciary panel.: “When Judge Jackson appeared last year before the Judiciary Committee, I was troubled by aspects of her record, including her record on crime and criminal justice. I will be thoroughly reviewing Judge Jackson’s record from top to bottom and look forward to speaking with her.”

Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn, also a Republican member of the Judiciary Committee: “President Biden’s announcement just days after an unprovoked full-scale invasion by Russia is extremely inappropriate. … However, I cannot hold President Biden’s failure to lead our nation against his nominee. I do plan on meeting with the President’s nominee in person, and thoroughly vetting her record to determine if she is a person of high character.”

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.: “This is a Jackie Robinson moment for our nation. … I’m profoundly moved by this; my heart aches with joy.”

South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, who pushed Biden to nominate a Black woman during the 2020 campaign and later pushed for another candidate, Judge J. Michelle Childs: “This is a glass ceiling that took far too long to shatter, and I commend President Biden for taking a sledgehammer to it. I congratulate Judge Jackson and offer my full support during the confirmation process and beyond.”

Paul Ryan, the former GOP Speaker of the House who is related to Jackson by marriage: “Janna and I are incredibly happy for Ketanji and her entire family. Our politics may differ, but my praise for Ketanji’s intellect, for her character, and for her integrity, is unequivocal.”

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