The Senate voted to confirm Judge Amul Thapar to the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday.

The vote was 52-44.

Thapar, previously included on President Trump's Supreme Court shortlists for the vacancy filled by Justice Neil Gorsuch, faced steady opposition from liberals and Senate Democrats. The liberal legal group Alliance for Justice mobilized against Thapar's nomination and Democrats raised concerns about his affiliation with the Federalist Society, a right-leaning legal organization.

Thapar is the son of Indian-American immigrants and hails from Kentucky, home of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Thapar is the first Trump-picked federal appeals court nominee to be confirmed and could become a leading contender for a future Supreme Court vacancy, if one materializes.