Updated Sept. 19, 2020, at 3:06 p.m.
Colorado's political and justice leaders mourned the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Friday night.
Ginsburg died of complications from metastatic cancer of the pancreas. She was 87.
State Sen. Julie Gonzales was at least one state lawmaker helping organize a vigil in downtown Denver to honor the justice.
Ginsburg's death will inevitably set in motion what promises to be a nasty and tumultuous political battle over who will succeed her, and it thrusts the Supreme Court vacancy into the spotlight of the presidential campaign.
Just days before her death, as her strength waned, Ginsburg dictated this statement to her granddaughter Clara Spera: “My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.”
Sen. Cory Gardner — Republican
Gardner appeared Saturday at a Club 20 forum in Grand Junction. The moderator asked him whether he would maintain his stance from 2016 that the Senate should not vote on a Supreme Court vacancy so close to the election. Gardner did not answer the question, and instead said, "There is time for debate. There is time for politics. But the time for now is to pray for the family and to make sure that we keep their family in our hearts and prayers as we mourn as a nation."
Sen. Michael Bennet — Democrat
Democratic Senate Candidate and Former Gov. John Hickenlooper
Rep. Diana DeGette — Democrat, District 1
Rep. Joe Neguse — Democrat, District 2
Rep. Ken Buck — Republican, District 4
Rep. Jason Crow — Democrat, District 6
In a statement, Crow also addressed the possibility of a Senate confirmation battle ahead of the election. "Tonight, I called Senator Gardner urging him to honor his obligation to a power higher than rank partisanship. Senator Gardner must commit to the people of Colorado that he will not replace Justice Ginsberg until after inauguration and to play by the rules he created."
Rep. Ed Perlmutter — Democrat, District 7
Attorney General Phil Weiser
Weiser served as a law clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
"Our nation mourns the loss of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, an iconic leader, jurist, and role model. Justice Ginsburg changed my life, teaching me about equal justice under the law and what outstanding legal work looks like—an important life-long lesson. For millions around the world, her memory will continue to be a blessing.
Justice Ginsburg’s passing on the eve of the Jewish New Year adds further meaning to a time that calls out for healing and renewal. My heart aches for her family and the broader family of clerks and mentees who have lost a devoted teacher and inspiration. I will miss her deeply and will continue to work to meet her high expectations for justice and rigorous legal work."
Diane Mitsch Bush — Democratic candidate for Colorado District 3
Lauren Boebert — Republican candidate for Colorado District 3
NPR contributed to this report.
