(CNN) Tuesday's elections favoring Democrats could give conservative forces more urgency in an area President Donald Trump is already moving on aggressively: reshaping the federal courts.

Trump and his advisers are moving at break-neck speed compared with past presidents. Republicans pushed four conservative US appeals court judges through the Senate last week, and with a total of eight appeals court appointees, Trump has won far more Senate confirmations than his three immediate predecessors did at this point in their presidencies. A hearing on six nominees is scheduled for next week.

The Republican majority, led by Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, has been crucial to Trump's effort to move swiftly on the lifetime judicial appointments and please his right-wing base. Judges exert control over myriad social and business issues, from abortion rights to class action litigation.

Public attention naturally focuses on Supreme Court appointments, yet with the nine justices hearing less than 1% of the petitions that reach their door, the regional courts of appeals constitute a powerful last stop for the nation's litigants.

Trump's legal team has taken advantage of the GOP Senate majority while also trying to outpace any major disruption for the executive branch, whether it be a sudden Supreme Court vacancy or more charges arising from Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Mueller is exploring possible Trump campaign links to Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

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