Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg gestures as the invited guests applaud while she gets seated at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, Tuesday, July 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died Friday at her home in Washington after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Ginsburg, 87, a champion for women’s rights, was the second woman to serve on the nation’s high court.

Her death poses what promises to be a heated, partisan political battle over whether incumbent Republican President Donald Trump and the GOP-led Senate should quickly confirm a replacement, or wait until after the national election in six weeks. Mississippi’s two GOP senators will be part of that debate.

Here are reactions from Mississippi leaders on the vaunted justice’s death:

U.S. Senator Roger Wicker: “I was sad to learn of Justice Ginsburg’s passing. Her sharp intellect and passion for equality left a significant impact on the court and made her an icon for millions of Americans. I have disagreed with many of Justice Ginsburg’s opinions, but I never questioned her sincerity or motivations. In fact, her close friendship with the late Justice Antonin Scalia is a powerful example of how we can all work with and respect others. Gayle and I send our deepest condolences to her family, friends, and many admirers around the country.”

U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith: “Justice Ginsburg devoted her life to the law, becoming a respected and influential woman in our time. May she rest in peace.”

Mike Espy, Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate: “Mike Espy and the Espy for Senate campaign are saddened by the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, one of the most revered legal minds in this country. The second woman to ever sit on the Supreme Court of the United States, Justice Ginsburg was a legend and will take her place among the great justices in American history. Battling her health for years, Justice Ginsburg put her duty to this country and the law before everything else. She was a legal trailblazer, standing up for the less fortunate to ensure protections for gender equality, voting rights, civil rights, and health care. Justice Ginsburg will forever leave her mark on this country and on the lives of Americans.”

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson: “Rest In Peace to one of the greatest legal minds and jurists in American history. My prayers are with her family and loved ones.”

This article will be updated as additional statements are released. 

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