The New York state Senate's Judiciary Committee voted to advance Judge Rowan Wilson to a full floor vote to be the next chief judge on the state Court of Appeals.

The vote followed a three-hour hearing Monday for Wilson.

Among the Democratically-controlled chamber and commtitee, four Republicans voted against Wilson and one Republican voted to move the nomination to the floor without recommendation.

Wilson's approval means he avoids the fate of Gov. Kathy Hochul's previous nominee for the position, Judge Hector LaSalle, who failed to garner enough support from the Judiciary Committee and a vote on the floor of the Senate.

Wilson would be the first Black man to lead the court system in New York.

On Tuesday, the Judiciary Committee is expected to hear from Caitlin Halligan, an attorney now in private practice and a former solictor general for the state. Halligan was nominated by Hochul alongside Wilson to fill his spot on the bench at the Court of Appeals as an associate judge.

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