WASHINGTON —

       The historic Supreme Court nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson resumed Wednesday with Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee sharply divided on the proceedings.

       Chairman Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) lauded Jackson for showing “grace under pressure,” and he accused several Republicans of using the hearing as “a showcase for talking points for the November election.”

       He said the record shows Jackson is “in the mainstream of sentencing when it comes to child pornography cases,” despite charges by several Republicans that she had been lenient toward those defendants.

       But Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and John Kennedy (R-La.) accused Durbin of overstepping his authority as chair by using his time to critique Republicans who questioned the judge.

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       Following Tuesday’s 13-hour session, Durbin said he hoped for a shorter day on Wednesday. Senators will have up to 20 minutes each during a second round of questioning.

       Jackson, 51, who has worked as a federal district judge for most of the past decade, said she sentenced more than 100 criminals to prison, and she rejected the charges that she handed down shorter than average prison terms.