The U.S. Senate on Monday cleared a Georgia Court of Appeals judge to serve on the federal District Court in Macon.
Senators confirmed Tripp Self to be U.S. district court judge for Georgia’s middle district on a 85-11 vote. The ex-Macon Superior Court judge now becomes President Donald Trump’s fourth Georgia-based federal judicial nominee to be approved by the chamber.
Self was appointed by Gov. Nathan Deal to the state appeals bench in 2016. The U.S. Army veteran helped start a treatment court for ex-members of the military and also officiates college football games.
U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., whose designees helped vet Self for the position, said the judge represents “the whole package” and highlighted his work with veterans.
“I am particularly proud we have a judge who comes in here and has used entrepreneurial skills to deal with a problem our society has ... to see that our veterans are getting the help they need,” said Isakson, who leads the Senate VA Committee.
The Senate's vote came nearly nine months after Self was first tapped by the Trump administration for the federal bench. Few lawmakers voiced any opposition -– he received a "well qualified" rating from the influential American Bar Association -- but he ultimately got caught in a larger Senate logjam over nominees.
Self and his wife were on hand in the Senate chamber as lawmakers voted on his nomination.
“Incredible day,” he said. “I’m just thankful to Sen. Perdue and Sen. Isakson for seeing this thing through.”
“I’m going to do the very best I can and work hard every day and make sure that I earn every vote that we got today,” he added.
Self's colleague on the Georgia Court of Appeals, Elizabeth Branch, was confirmed by the Senate for a post on the powerful 11th Circuit Court of Appeals last week.
Two other Georgia judicial picks, Stan Baker and Billy Ray, are still awaiting confirmation.
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