President Biden will nominate Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer on the Supreme Court,  fulfilling his campaign pledge to name the first Black woman to the nation's highest court.

Biden formally announced Jackson, 51, as his pick during an event at the White House, as the first step for a confirmation battle in the Senate that will play out amid Democrats' efforts to maintain their majorities in Congress in November's midterm elections.

Mr. Biden praised Jackson as a "proven consensus builder, an accomplished lawyer, a distinguished jurist on one of the nation's most prestigious courts," and said she is "uniquely accomplished," with a wide-ranging background that includes jobs in public service and private practice. 

With Republicans and Democrats having 50 seats in the Senate and Harris casting tie-breaking votes, Jackson will need support from all 50 Democrats in order to be confirmed to the Supreme Court, which she is expected to receive. 

Republicans, meanwhile, indicated they expect to meet with Jackson in person during the confirmation process. Senator Susan Collins from Maine commended Jackson as an "experienced federal judge with impressive academic and legal credentials" and said intends to meet with her in her office.

With Jackson's nomination, which comes nearly a month after Breyer announced his retirement, Mr. Biden has his first opportunity to make his mark on the Supreme Court. While Jackson's appointment will not alter the ideological composition of the Supreme Court, which currently has a 6-3 conservative majority, she is likely to serve for decades if confirmed by the Senate.

If confirmed, Jackson will not only be the first Black woman to sit on the Supreme Court, but it will also mark the first time there will be two African American justices and four women serving simultaneously. At 51, she would be the second-youngest justice, behind Barrett, who is 50.