[CBSNews] Washington — The Senate on Wednesday confirmed President Trump's 200th nominee to the federal bench, a milestone that caps an extraordinary effort by the president and the Republican-controlled Senate to leave an enduring stamp on the federal judiciary.Senators approved the nomination of Cory Wilson to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals by a vote of 52 to 48. With Wilson's confirmation and that of Judge Justin Walker to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit last week, Mr. Trump has now filled all vacancies to the federal circuit courts.
Walker, however, will not take his seat on the influential D.C. Circuit until September when Judge Thomas Griffith, whose spot he is filling, officially retires.
The vote to confirm Wilson is the culmination of the push by Mr. Trump, with the crucial assistance of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, to reshape the federal bench and install conservative jurists who will make a lasting impact on U.S. law.
In all, the president has appointed 53 judges to the circuit courts, which are the last stop for thousands of cases moving through the federal judicial system, and 147 judges to the district courts.
Trump's 53 Circuit Court appointments compares favorably to the 55 appointments made by Barry in his 8 years. There will likely not be any more circuit court vacancies this year, but there are still 71 District Court vacancies, 43 of which have pending nominations.