New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s nomination of longtime private attorney John Delmonte to serve as an interim state supreme court justice in the westernmost judicial district easily cleared its first legislative hurdle on Tuesday, with the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously advancing his name to the full Senate for a confirmation vote.

Delmonte ran unsuccessfully for state supreme court of the 8th Judicial District 10 years ago, finishing sixth in an eight-way race for five seats on the supreme court in 2014.