U.S. Senate confirms Oklahoma justice as federal judge

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – The U.S. Senate has confirmed President Donald Trump’s nomination of an Oklahoma Supreme Court justice as a federal judge.

The Senate voted 53-47 on Tuesday to confirm Patrick Wyrick to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma.

The vote was split along party lines with Senate records showing all 53 Republicans voting for confirmation and all 45 Democrats joined by two independents who caucus with the Democrats voting no.

Wyrick’s first nomination had expired and he was renominated by the president earlier this year.

His confirmation comes after the Republican-controlled Senate voted last week to limit debate on many nominees.

Wyrick was named to the state Supreme Court in February 2017 after six years as solicitor general under then-state Attorney General Scott Pruitt.