How much will Biden’s nominee change the Supreme Court?

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer announced on Thursday that he plans to retire this summer after nearly 28 years on the nation’s highest court.

Breyer, 83, was nominated by former President Bill Clinton in 1994 and was a mostly consistent liberal vote on important cases involving abortion, the death penalty, voting rights and health care. He also developed a reputation as a pragmatist, a master of details and a fierce defender of the court’s political independence.

Over the past year, some progressive activists mounted an aggressive public campaign aimed at convincing Breyer to step down....