ST. CROIX — The U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary voted Thursday to advance President Donald Trump’s nomination of Evan Rikhye to serve as a federal judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of the Virgin Islands, approving the pick 12-10 along party lines during an executive business meeting at the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C.
Rikhye, a former federal prosecutor with experience in the Virgin Islands who has since served as senior counsel with Walmart, was one of six judicial and law-enforcement nominees approved by the panel at the meeting. All 12 Republicans voted in favor, while all 10 Democrats opposed his nomination and those of two other nominees.
Only Republicans supported the nominations of Kathleen Lane to the District Court for the District of Montana and Kara Marie Westercamp to the U.S. Court of International Trade.
The committee also advanced Sheria Akins Clarke to the District Court for the District of South Carolina in a 15-7 vote (with three Democrats in support); Kenneth Sorenson as U.S. attorney for the District of Hawaii in a 19-3 vote (seven Democrats in support); and Johnson Teehee II as U.S. marshal for the Eastern District of Oklahoma in a 13-9 vote (one Democrat in support).
The votes came five weeks after intense questioning from Democrats during a confirmation hearing before the Committee on the Judiciary at the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
READ MORE: U.S. senators clash with Evan Rikhye, Trump’s judicial nominee to the Virgin Islands District Court
During the hearing, Democrats criticized Rikhye and three fellow nominees — Lane, Westercamp, and Clarke — for what they described as evasive and rehearsed answers to basic factual questions, particularly whether the U.S. Capitol was attacked on January 6, 2021, and who won the 2020 presidential election.
Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) delivered some of the most pointed criticism, characterizing the nominees’ responses as “canned,” “prerehearsed,” and “Orwellian in their denial of reality.”
“They are a subversion of this process,” he said. “They’re an insult to this committee, but they also fundamentally show a complete lack of independence and backbone and impartiality, which are the fundamental requirements of a United States District Court judge or a judge on any panel.”
When Blumenthal directly asked Rikhye whether the Capitol had been “attacked,” Rikhye replied that “there was violence that occurred here on January 6, senator,” and did not use the word “attack” even after being pressed. He similarly declined to state who won the 2020 presidential election, citing the constitutional process of Electoral College certification.
Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) also questioned Rikhye about a social media post he had “liked” that related to pardons issued to January 6 defendants. Rikhye said he did not recall the interaction and declined to comment on the pardons themselves, saying it would be contrary to judicial ethics canons for a nominee to weigh in on the president’s pardon power.
Prior to the pointed exchanges, Rikhye emphasized his connection to the Virgin Islands and his qualifications for the post.
“I’m truly humbled and truly grateful for this opportunity,” he said, thanking Trump for his nomination.
Republican senators used the hearing to question Rikhye about his knowledge of the territory.
Senator Katie Britt (R-AL) questioned him on drug trafficking, and he described his experience handling both maritime narcotics interdiction cases and local distribution networks. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) asked about the territory’s challenges. Rikhye noted the unique geography, culture, and small population of roughly 85,000, noting the significant impact federal prosecutions can have on a community of that size.
Prior to joining Walmart as senior counsel in October 2024, Rikhye served 20 years with the U.S. Department of Justice, including two stints as assistant U.S. attorney on St. Croix, from 2008 to 2011 and from 2021 to 2024.
While Lane, Westercamp, and Clarke are nominated to Article III courts that carry lifetime appointments under the Constitution, Rikhye is nominated to an Article IV territorial court. If confirmed, he would serve a 10-year term and succeed retired Judge Wilma Lewis.
All six nominations now move to the full Senate.
