The other poster asked what we know about Hughes, and I supplied the answer.
Since you engaged me, here's my take on her former donations to Dems. By the time a person is in their 40's, I'd expect they would've clarified their political views based on decades of contemplation about the issue. That she had not done so leads me to question the steadfastness of her beliefs. I think that alone should give one cause for concern.
There is nothing automatically suspect about a lawyer clerking for a Democrat judge. We are talking the law, not politics, when we talk about such matters.
Further, some post that she donated to Gore. But that was in 1988 when he was avowedly pro-life. As for donating to Lloyd Bentsen, that is a Texan donating to an old-style Texas Democrat, and I have no knowledge of where Bentsen stood then on life issues, so can't speak to that.
BTW, how old was Reagan when he became a Republican? You know who convinced him to do it? I read where it was his daughter Maureen. Of course, he was prime and ripe to do it, it was just a hard thing for him to finally do.
But like I said, there is Ralph Hall who in Congress switched to the GOP after he was 80 yrs. old. He had the most conservative voting record in the House.