The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Tuesday 13-6 to approve Judge Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court, moving her one step closer to becoming the first Hispanic justice on the Supreme Court.

The vote was made almost entirely along party lines, with Democrats voting in favor of the Bronx native's confirmation and Republicans against. The one exception was Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.

Graham said that while he would not have chosen Sotomayor, he "can see why President Barack Obama did."

"I base my vote on qualifications," Graham said. "The American Bar Association gave her the highest rating that it could give out and that meant a lot to me."

Graham also highlighted the significance of Sotomayor being the first Latina woman to serve on the nation's highest court.

"America has changed for the better for her selection," he said.

Yet Graham appeared to address concerns from his Republican colleagues over Sotomayor's speeches and her infamous "wise Latina" remark made in 2001, when he said he did not want to set a standard where people aspiring to be judges never have a thought or take on an unpopular position.

"I hope our Democratic colleagues will remember that if a Conservative Republican gets back in the White House, it is okay to advocate a position that is different than we would advocate ourselves," he said.

Republicans who voted against Sotomayor cited her wise Latina remark and her rulings in various cases, specifically her decision to side with the city of New Haven in a racial discrimination case brought by a group of firefighters, most of whom are white. They said they are not convinced Sotomayor will set aside her personal biases on the bench and say they do not know what kind of judge she would be on the nation's highest court.

During his comments Tuesday, Alabama Republican Senator Jeff Sessions said Sotomayor was unable to convince him that she'll steer away from what he calls "judicial activism."

"I don't believe anyone should be on any court of the United States that's not deeply committed to the ideal of American justice and that is that they should set aside their personal opinions and biases when they rule from the court," Sessions said.

Many of the senators who voted in favor of Sotomayor spoke of her compelling life story – a journey from public housing in the Bronx to Princeton University and Yale Law School. Supporters say she has character, competence and a commitment to fair and impartial application of the law.

"It will inspire Americans everywhere, Americans of all races and creeds and colors to reach further and aim higher," said Senator Charles Schumer.

Some senators, however, raised concerns about the confirmation hearing process in general, bemoaning the practice of Supreme Court nominees refusing to answer certain questions, because they say the issue might come up before the court.

"These hearings have become little more than theater, where senators try to ask clever questions and nominees try to come up with clever ways to respond without answering," said Wisconsin Democratic Senator Russell Feingold.

Sotomayor is now expected to be approved in a bipartisan vote by the full Senate in early August.