The U.S. Senate has confirmed an openly
gay judge to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
President Donald Trump nominated
Patrick Bumatay to sit on the court last year.
Confirmation by the Senate makes
Bumatay the highest-ranking openly gay federal judge in the nation.
Senators voted 53-40 on Tuesday to
approve Bumatay's lifetime appointment.
Democrats voted against Bumatay, citing
his lack of appellate experience. Bumatay previously worked as a
federal prosecutor in Southern California.
Bumatay was Trump's second openly gay
judicial nominee. His first was Mary Rowland, who was confirmed by
the Senate in August.
Trump nominated Bumatay after ignoring
the recommendations of California Senators Kamala Harris and Dianne
Feinstein.
While many of Trump's judicial nominees
are opposed to LGBT rights, Bumatay is a member of the Tom Homann
LGBT Law Association, which seeks to advance LGBT issues in
California, according to his White House bio.