Senator Ted Cruz leads Republican calls to fill Supreme Court vacancy before election

Senator Ted Cruz has led Republican calls for Donald Trump to fill Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Supreme Court seat before election day.

Sen Cruz told Fox News he believed that it was “critical” that the Republican-controlled Senate moved quickly to replace Ginsburg before the US votes on 3 November.

“I believe that the president should next week nominate a successor to the court, and I think it is critical that the Senate takes up and confirms that successor before Election day,” said Mr Cruz.

“There is going to be enormous pressure form the media and enormous pressure from Democrats to delay filling this vacancy, but this nomination is why Donald Trump was elected.

“This confirmation is why the voters voted for a Republican majority in the Senate.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already vowed that whomever Mr Trump nominates will get a vote on the Senate floor.

Earlier this week Mr Cruz told supporters that he had no interest in serving on the Supreme Court, despite the president naming him to a list of potential nominees.

Mr Cruz, the former Solicitor General of Texas, and has been mentioned before for the position.

He has also written a book about the Supreme Court, which is due out on 6 October.