Sen. Kit Bond (Mo.) on Wednesday became the seventh GOP Senator to endorse Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination for the Supreme Court.The Senate began debating the Sotomayor nomination on Tuesday and is expected to vote on her confirmation on Thursday before leaving town for the August recess. Bond, who is retiring in 2010, joins Republican Sens. Lamar Alexander (Tenn.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Mel Martinez (Fla.), Dick Lugar (Ind.) and Maine Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins in announcing their support. The entire Democratic Conference is expected to vote yes to confirm Sotomayor, who would become the first Latina and third woman to ever serve on the high court.