“Both Oldham and Ho have clerked for the Supreme Court before. Oldham clerked for Justice Alito and Ho clerked for Clarence Thomas. So some people see them as sort of ideological successors to these two justices who are facing these pressures to retire.” » GET MORE NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE: Sign up for Texas Standard’s weekly newsletters

Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Andrew Oldham and James Ho are viewed as likely members of Trump’s shortlist in the event of a U.S. Supreme Court vacancy.

The Texas Supreme Court on Friday denied a state house committee’s attempt to delay the execution of a man convicted of murder in the 2002 death of his 2-year-old daughter, clearing a path for a new execution date.