Trump announces new judicial nominees in Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas

New year, same white judicial nominees.

Trump on Tuesday evening, via Truth Social, announced four new judicial nominees: Anna St. John for the Eastern District of Louisiana, John Thomas Shepherd for the Western District of Arkansas, Andrew Davis for the Western District of Texas, and Chris Wolfe for the Western District of Texas. There was no official announcement from the White House.

All four nominees, like most of Trump’s judicial selections, appear to be white.

Anna St. John, nominated to the bench in Louisiana, is currently the president and general counsel of the Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute (HLLI) and Center for Class Action Fairness, where she “has a strong record of tirelessly fighting to protect Free Speech, champion Religious Liberty, and keep men out of women’s sports. Anna will make a fantastic Judge, and continue to fearlessly defend the Constitution on the Federal Bench,” according to Trump’s post.

St. John is also a visiting fellow with the Independent Women’s Forum (IWF), per the HLLI website. According to GLAAD, “IWF has ties to Project 2025, has lobbied against access to contraception, and activates against transgender people under the guise of ‘protecting women’ but has taken actions that do not protect women and instead tries to harm LGBTQ people.”

She appears to possess the same hostility to transgender rights that so many of Trump’s nominees are bringing to the federal judiciary.

If St. John and Alexander Van Hook (who is currently pending on the Senate floor) are both confirmed, Trump will have appointed 11 white judges in the state of Louisiana — where only eight lifetime judges of color have ever served.

In Arkansas, Trump’s nominee — John Thomas Shepherd — is currently a local judge who Trump called “TOUGH” and “SMART” in his Truth Social post. In addition to being a “terrific football player” in college, Trump also noted that “John brings a wealth of experience to his new role. He will be a bold Advocate for Law and Order, and a tireless Champion of our Great Constitution.”

Shepherd is the son of Judge Bobby Shepherd, who was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit by President George W. Bush.

Notably, if Shepherd and Clay Fowlkes (also nominated to the Western District of Arkansas) are both confirmed, Trump will have appointed more white judges in Arkansas than lifetime judges of color who have ever served in the state.

Andrew Davis, like fellow nominee Nick Ganjei (nominated last year) for the Southern District of Texas, has worked as chief counsel for Senator Ted Cruz. He has also served as assistant solicitor general of Texas, in addition to clerking for Judges Reena Raggi and Sidney Fitzwater (Judge Fitzwater’s nomination to the bench in 1986 was opposed by civil rights organizations, including the NAACP, because of his involvement in voter intimidation practices in Black neighborhoods in south Dallas).

Davis’ law firm page says that he “Successfully defended Texas congressional and state legislative redistricting plans against claims under the Constitution and the Voting Rights Act” and that he “Successfully represented Texas in an action challenging Austin’s paid-sick-leave ordinance as preempted by state law.” It seems likely that civil rights and progressive organizations will want to closely examine his record and weigh in on his nomination.

Finally, Chris Wolfe, according to Trump, “will continue to be a fearless Champion for the incredible people of Texas. He will uphold the Constitution, ensure Law and Order, and keep our Citizens safe.” Wolfe is currently a local judge in Texas. Davis and Wolfe would be Trump’s fourth and fifth appointees to this court — and four of the five are white men.

I wrote last week about Trump’s dismal record on judicial diversity, including his refusal to nominate women of color to the federal bench during his second term to date. Today’s nominees appear to continue that appalling trend.

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If truly nominated today, these nominees would likely be eligible for a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, February 4. If paperwork was previously sent to the committee (without being disclosed to the public), they may be eligible sooner.