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As the battle over his confirmation plays out, Gorsuch’s opinions, often written vividly, will be mined for clues into how he might rule on cases in the Supreme Court. Already, a portrait has emerged of a judge with an eloquent, clear and occasionally fun writing style who believes in judicial restraint.

On Tuesday, as he thanked Trump for the nomination, Gorsuch addressed the topic of judicial restraint and said he looked forward to the confirmation process. He described the U.S. Senate as “the greatest deliberative body in the world.” (He began meeting with senators on Wednesday.)

“I respect, too, the fact that in our legal order, it is for Congress and not the courts to write new laws. It is the role of judges to apply, not alter, the work of the people’s representatives,” Gorsuch said in his remarks at the White House. “A judge who likes every outcome he reaches is very likely a bad judge—stretching for results he prefers rather than those the law demands.”