GOP senators split with leadership on SCOTUS

Seven Republicans so far have said they are open to considering or meeting with Merrick Garland, the chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia who was nominated for the Supreme Court earlier Wednesday by Obama. 

 

{mosads}Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said she agreed to meet with Garland after the White House reached out, but said such a meeting will take place after the Senate returns from its two-week recess in April. 

“The White House has asked me to meet with him, and I’ve agreed to do so,” Collins said. “I’ve never refused an offer to meet with a nominee to the Supreme Court; that has always been my standard practice. And, so, I have accepted that offer, and it will be scheduled after the recess.” 

Asked if she thinks Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will change his mind, the Maine Republican said no.

“I don’t see the majority leader changing his mind on this issue. He believes strongly that this should be a decision made by the next president. I don’t agree with that decision, but I respect it,” she said. “The irony, however, will be if the next president, whoever that may be, ends up nominating a person who is far more liberal than Judge Garland, who is considered to be a centrist.” 

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) also told reporters that he would meet with Garland, saying, “I meet with people. That’s what I do.” 

 

Whether to meet with Garland is also splitting vulnerable Republicans who are at the center of the battle for control of the Senate. 

 

Sens. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), all of whom face tough reelection battles, each said Wednesday they were open to meeting with Garland.

 

Ayotte told Politico she would meet with the nominee out of “courtesy” and to explain why she thinks the seat should remain vacant until next year. 

 

Kirk previously told The Hill he would meet with whomever Obama picked, and added Wednesday, “I will assess Judge Merrick Garland based on his record and qualifications.”

Despite the early signs of division, McConnell and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) both said Republicans remain committed to keeping Scalia’s seat vacant. McConnell and Cornyn, the Senate’s top two Republicans, have said they wouldn’t meet with Obama’s pick.

Cornyn was asked if he’s worried about GOP strategy “getting away from” leadership, with some Republicans already saying they’ll meet with Garland.

“This person will not be confirmed, so there’s no reason going through some motions and pretending like it will happen, because it’s not going to happen,” he said. 

When asked if the administration could do anything to make McConnell change his mind, Cornyn said, “No. We’ve made a decision, and now I think we have to continue to explain to people the principle involved is not about the personality.” 

Democrats, however, are hoping to target vulnerable incumbents, as well as centrist senators, as they try to force Republicans to cave on their current strategy of blocking Obama’s nominee from getting a hearing or a vote. 

Democrats quickly pounced on Portman and Ayotte’s statements, suggesting voters shouldn’t believe “their blatant political spin.” 

“Sen. Ayotte is still choosing unprecedented constitutional obstruction over the interests of Granite Staters, and voters will turn out in November to elect a senator who will actually do their job,” said Lauren Passalacqua, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s national press secretary. 

While seven current Republican senators previously voted to confirm Garland to his current position, that could still be an uphill battle.

 

Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said he “would meet with anybody, but I think it would be a waste of his time.” 

 

Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), who chairs the Appropriations Committee, echoed those comments. While he told reporters he was open to considering the nominee, he added in a statement that Scalia’s seat should remain vacant until next year.