Highlights from Senate vote to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson

Jackson again wiped away tears during Wednesday's questioning when Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., asked her what she'd say to "young Americans, the most diverse generation in our nation's history … some of them who may doubt that they can one day achieve the same great heights that you have?"

Jackson responded, "I hope to inspire people."

Jackson wiped away tears, saying, "Young people are the future … I want them to know that they can do and be anything."

She remained emotional as she recounted an experience she had as a freshman at Harvard.

Harvard "was different from anything I had known. There were lots of students there who were prep school kids -- like my husband -- who knew all about Harvard, and that was not me," she said, as the crowd laughed.

"The first semester I was really home sick. I was really questioning, 'Do I belong here? Can I make it in this environment?'" Jackson recounted. "And I was walking through the yard in the evening and a Black woman I did not know was passing me on the sidewalk. And she looked at me, and I guess she knew how I was feeling. And she leaned over as we crossed and said, 'Persevere.'"

Circling back to Padilla's question, Jackson said she'd tell young Americans "to persevere."

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., called out Republicans for accusing Jackson of being soft on sentencing in child porn cases, noting that Jackson wasn't questioned in this way when she was appointed last year to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Booker said to Jackson, "You were put on a court, that I'm told, is considered like the second most powerful court in our land. And you were passed with bipartisan support. Nobody brought it up then. Did they not do their homework?"

The Republicans' "allegations appear meritless to the point of demagoguery," Booker said.

Booker, overcome with emotion, said to Jackson when he looks at her he sees his mom and cousins, noting one of his cousins was sitting behind her at the hearing. "She had to have your back. I see my ancestors and yours," he said.

Jackson wiped away tears as Booker spoke.

Booker stressed, "Nobody is going to steal that joy. You have earned this spot. You are worthy."

He later added: "God has got you."

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who supported Jackson's confirmation to the D.C. Circuit but has been combative at times during questioning, said to "stay tuned" about whether he would support her this time around.

"The difference between the two jobs is she can make policy with this job -- she can change the law. The D.C. Circuit, she's sort of bound by what the Supreme Court [has] done. So just say tuned," he said.

Graham continued his attacks on Jackson on Wednesday, accusing her of trying to "run out the clock."

"I like Judge Jackson. I don't think she's sympathetic as a person to child pornography, but I think her sentencing regime doesn't create deterrence," he said.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who also supported Jackson's confirmation to the D.C. Circuit, told ABC News Wednesday that she is keeping an open mind.

-ABC News' Rachel Scott

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., dove back into the child porn sentencing line of questioning on Wednesday.

Jackson told Hawley, "I am fully aware of the seriousness of this offense and also my obligation to take into account all of the various aspects of the crime, as Congress has required me to do. And I made a determination seriously in each case."

Hawley asked the judge, "Why didn't you apply the enhancements as they were asked for?"

Jackson responded, "Senator, I've answered this question many times from many senators who have asked me, so I'll stand on what I've already said."

Hawley continued to press her, saying, "But your answer is what? Refresh my memory."

Jackson stood her ground, replying, "Senator, I've answered this question. I've explained how the guidelines work and I'll stand on my answer."

Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., didn't press Jackson on child porn sentencing. Instead he asked Jackson if she thought law schools were becoming too homogenous -- too "liberal or illiberal" with conservatives voices getting "canceled" -- and asked if it would be better to have a diverse set of voices from "across the political spectrum,” to which Jackson agreed.

Then, he offered her a compliment.

“You're going to be a hero. You are already a hero to lots and lots of kids," he said.

"I suspect you are an advocate for vigorous and robust debate. I don't see how you might be constrained against saying that because of future cases. I’m gonna just assume we are mostly aligned on this," he said.

“I think that is a fair assumption,” she replied.

-ABC News' Trish Turner