The judgeship is just one of 136 current federal court vacancies. Authorized positions in 2018 are north of 860.
Senators typically veto nominees they don't like in their jurisdictions by returning a negative blue slip on the individual.
North Carolina is a playground for Supreme Court intervention in representation decisions involving race through the 1965 Voting Rights Act, making judicial appointments there radioactive. Both US Senators from North Carolina have been Republicans since 2014 when Tillis defeated Hagan. Burr was re-elected in 2016.
