As President Joe Biden prepares to leave office, his administration has pushed through a number of judicial nominees that many conservatives consider radical. With Democrats still controlling the Senate until January, Republican senators face a critical decision: to allow these controversial judges to pass quietly or to take a stand and prevent their confirmation. Mike Davis, a former law clerk to Justice Neil Gorsuch, argues that now is not the time for Senate Republicans to play nice. Instead, they must use every tool at their disposal to stop these lifetime appointments.

Biden’s nominees are seen as dangerous because of their far-left leanings, potentially shaping the judiciary for decades. For instance, his recent nomination of Tali Farhadian Weinstein, a proponent of noncitizens voting, has raised alarm among Republicans. With a slim majority, Democrats are poised to confirm these radical figures unless Senate Republicans push back hard enough to delay or block them.

Davis argues that Republicans should not be complacent even as the calendar nears January, when the party will retake the Senate. Instead of relaxing, Republican senators should continue to challenge every nominee, forcing the Democrats to burn through hours of debate time. Senate rules allow up to 30 hours of debate per nominee, and Republicans should make use of that time, especially given the long-term consequences of confirming these leftist judges.

The temptation to go back home and celebrate a recent electoral victory is strong, but Davis warns that this would be a mistake. Republicans must stay focused and continue to fight on the Senate floor, making sure every nominee is thoroughly vetted and debated. This is especially crucial given the precedent set by Senate Democrats in 2017, when they delayed Trump’s judicial nominees at every turn.

As President Trump heads into his second term, Republican senators must ensure that Biden’s judicial legacy is not cemented before the change in administration. The stakes are too high for Republicans to give up now. The future of the judicial system is on the line, and the time for Republicans to stand firm against Biden’s nominees is now.