MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Senate confirms first Hispanic woman to serve on the US Supreme Court

Sonia Sotomayor grew up in the housing projects of New York’s Bronx.

The United States Senate confirmed Sonia Sotomayor as the third woman and first Hispanic to serve on the US Supreme Court, a major victory for President Barack Obama. The Thursday vote by a margin of 68 to 31 was hailed as “a wonderful day for America” by President Barack Obama.

The 55-year-old appeals court judge, who grew up in the housing projects of New York's Bronx, was confirmed by a margin of 68 to 31 in the US Senate.

Republicans had questioned Obama's comments that he wanted a judge with “empathy” and criticised judge Sotomayor for remarks that a “wise Latina” could be a better judge than a white male.

President Obama said: “I'm filled with pride in this achievement and great confidence that Judge Sotomayor will make an outstanding Supreme Court justice.

”With this historic vote, the Senate has affirmed that Justice Sotomayor has the intellect, the temperament, the history, the integrity and the independence of mind to ably serve on our nation's highest court.“

He also paid tribute to her ”American journey”, mirroring his own, through elite Ivy League universities to the heights of the US judicial system.

Judge Sotomayor was sitting at a federal court house in New York when the Senate vote took place. Applause broke out among friends and colleagues watching with her on television.

Both parties say the vote will shape how Hispanic Americans, one of the fastest growing groups of voters in the country, align themselves in the 2010 mid-term elections and the 2012 presidential contest.