Supreme Court nominee Sotomayor fractures ankle

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sonia Sotomayor stumbled, literally, on Monday in her bid to become a Supreme Court justice and fractured her ankle but officials said she would continue her full schedule.

"This morning, on the way to Washington, D.C., Judge Sotomayor tripped at LaGuardia Airport," White House spokesman Ben LaBolt said.

He said she had an X-ray, which revealed a small fracture, adding, "She has been treated and released, and is looking forward to keeping her full schedule of meetings on Capitol Hill this afternoon."

Sotomayor, 54, is expected to be confirmed by the overwhelmingly Democratic-controlled Senate as the first Hispanic and third woman ever on the court.

She was scheduled on Monday to meet with a half-dozen Democratic and Republican senators on a round of introductory visits leading up to her confirmation hearing.

(Reporting by Caren Bohan and Doug Palmer; editing by Patricia Zengerle)