Republican senators, during the committee hearing, dismissed the ABA's rating as a partisan attack because a member of the group's standing committee responsible for the 9th Circuit donated to one of VanDyke's political opponents.

Republicans have put a premium on confirming Trump's circuit court nominees, and conservative outside groups praised VanDyke on Wednesday.

"There are few better legal minds in the country today. I congratulate Lawrence and his family for their patience and perseverance to this great achievement," Hiram Sasser, the general counsel for First Liberty Institute, said in a statement.