Colorado’s U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner introduced state Supreme Court Justice Allison Eid to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday before her confirmation hearing to the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

“There is no doubt that Justice Eid is superbly qualified for the position,” said Gardner, a Republican, in prepared remarks sent out by his office. “Whatever Justice Eid does, she does it at the highest level. Indeed, National Native American Bar Association has even noted that she has ‘significantly more experience with Indian law cases than any other recent Circuit Court nominee.'”

Gardner called Eid a friend, “fiercely independent” and a “mainstream, commonsense Westerner.” He also mentioned her time teaching at the University of Colorado School of Law while he was a student there.

“I can say from personal experience that, while Justice Eid has her perspective on the law, she cares deeply about robust debate and hearing the views of others,” he said. “And I know from my classmates that did not always share her perspective that Justice Eid was open to their views – she engaged them – and she was never biased against differing perspectives.”

As Colorado Politics previously reported, President Trump had eyed Eid, highly regarded in right-leaning legal circles, for the Supreme Court vacancy that eventually went to Gorsuch.

Eid is married to Troy Eid, a former U.S. attorney for the District of Colorado who had been appointed by President George W. Bush.

She previously served as a law clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.