PAUL BEDARD: On record-breaking pace of approving judges, Grassley urged to go faster.

It’s the pace of approving judges despite Democratic opposition that has some heads spinning on Capitol Hill. In just one week this month, for example, Grassley pushed through more than one nominee a day, including five female judges. Four were district court judges: Emily Coody Marks of Alabama, Holly Lou Teeter of Kansas, Maryellen Noreika of Delaware, and Jill Aiko Otake of Hawaii. The fifth was Britt Cagle Grant of Georgia, who was approved as a circuit court judge for the Eleventh Circuit.

Since Trump took office, Grassley’s committee has pushed through 45 judicial picks, including Supreme Court Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch. Of those, a record 24 were circuit court of appeals judges, the most by a modern president at this stage.

“Grassley works, Grassley delivers,” said a Senate insider.

“The Senate continues to be hard at work to confirm President Trump’s highly qualified judicial nominees,” Grassley said. “Just last week, we confirmed seven more nominees, including five women. There should be no disputing that their credentials make them well suited for the federal bench.” . . .

“He should be commended to standing up to the Democrats,” said Severino, as well as pushing his committee staff to move quickly on investigating nominees.

But, she added, the pace needs to pick up because the courts still have over 100 vacancies. “It has to be even faster,” she said, noting that vacancies are being created than judges approved.

While the Kavanaugh nomination is taking up a lot of Grassley’s and his staff’s time this August, they are also considering other Trump judges. Grassley hopes to get a committee vote on Kavanaugh next month. And when he eventually votes to confirm the Washington, D.C. judge, it will be on his 15th Supreme Court nominee since 1981.

There’s no guarantee the GOP will hold the Senate after the next election. It’s smart to get as much done as possible now.