WASHINGTON _ Judge Brett Kavanaugh has the inside track within the White House to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court, according to three people familiar with the matter.
Kavanaugh, who is 53 and sits on the federal appeals court in Washington, is supported by White House Counsel Don McGahn, who is supervising the search, two of the people said. Other finalists are appeals court judges Amy Coney Barrett, Raymond Kethledge and Thomas Hardiman.
The people familiar with the matter cautioned that while Kavanaugh may look like the favorite, Trump has sought to maintain secrecy ahead of a planned announcement on Monday in prime time. Trump has told associates that he also likes Barrett, who is the favorite of many social conservatives because of her deeply held Catholic beliefs, and that he was impressed by Hardiman and felt he had good chemistry with Kethledge.
The president said Thursday that he had narrowed his choice to four people and that he expected to make a decision by Sunday. He would not name any of his finalists.
His selection has the potential to cement the court's conservative majority for years and could lead to the reconsideration of significant precedents, including the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade abortion rights decision.
The White House is preparing promotional campaigns for multiple candidates, including Kavanaugh, Barrett, Kethledge and Hardiman, who sits on the same circuit as Trump's sister, Maryanne Barry.
Trump has retreated to his golf resort in Bedminster, N.J., for the weekend, where he'll discuss his choice with chief of staff John Kelly and Vice President Mike Pence.
