Divide on whether to appoint new Supreme Court justice before or after elections

Various civil rights groups are backing calls from Democratic lawmakers to hold off on a vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy’s replacement until after the November elections.

Vanita Gupta, head of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, says senators need to put country over party and use every tool to stop what she calls President Donald Trump’s plan “to take over the Supreme Court for the next 40 years.”

Despite the Republican majority, Sherrilyn Ifill of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund says she’s confident senators can be persuaded to hold off.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says it would be the “height of hypocrisy” for the Senate to vote on a new Supreme Court justice before the November midterm elections.

Schumer noted that Senate Republicans in 2016 refused to consider then-President Barack Obama’s court nominee, Merrick Garland, during the election year, leaving the seat vacant for President Donald Trump’s nominee of Neil Gorsuch in 2017.

Schumer said Wednesday the opening on the court from  Kennedy’s retirement is “the most important Supreme Court” vacancy in at least a generation. He said the voices of millions of Americans heading to the polls this fall “deserve to be heard.” The court’s make up will determine important issues, including reproductive rights.

President Trump is deflecting a question on whether he should wait until after the midterm elections to announce a successor to Kennedy.

Trump says in the Oval Office that he hasn’t “really thought about that. I think you want to go as quickly as possible.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell bsays his chamber will vote this fall on Trump’s nominee to replace Kennedy.

Says the Kentucky Republican, “It’s imperative that the president’s nominee be considered fairly and not subjected to personal attacks.”

McConnell added that he looks forward to another “outstanding selection” from Trump.

Kennedy has long been a key swing vote, so Trump’s selection could tilt the court in a more conservative direction for years to come.

The Senate confirmed Trump’s first selection to the high court, Neil Gorsuch, in April 2017.