U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson testifies on the third day of her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill, in Washington, DC. U.S., March 23, 2022. Jabin Botsford/Pool via
U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson testifies on the third day of her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill, in Washington, DC. U.S., March 23, 2022. Jabin Botsford/Pool via Reuters / POOL

U.S. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson on Monday picked up the support of two more Republican senators, all but cementing her confirmation this week as the first Black woman to serve on the nation's highest court.

Senators Lisa Murkowski and Mitt Romney announced that they will vote for Jackson, joining Republican Senator Susan Collins who made her support clear last week.

Jackson is expected to win the backing of all 48 Democrats and two independents, giving her a majority of support in the 100-member chamber.

The statements of support from Romney and Murkowski came as the Senate on Monday evening was voting to advance Jackson's nomination by forcing the 11-11 deadlocked Senate Judiciary Committee to send it to the full chamber for consideration.

"After multiple in-depth conversations with Judge Jackson and deliberative review of her record and recent hearings, I will support her historic nomination to be an Associate Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court," Murkowski said in a statement.

Romney said, "While I do not expect to agree with every decision she may make on the Court, I believe that she more than meets the standard of excellence and integrity."

Earlier, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, said he will "set in motion" the process that will lead to a final Senate vote later this week to confirm Jackson, a federal appellate court judge, to the lifetime post.

Jackson would replace retiring liberal Justice Stephen Breyer. Her confirmation will not change the court's 6-3 conservative majority.