The next president should pick Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia’s successor, say three men hoping to succeed President Obama.
Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and fellow GOP candidate Ben Carson all said the next president should pick a nominee.
{mosads}”Justice Scalia was an American hero. We owe it to him, and the nation, for the Senate to ensure that the next president names his replacement,” Cruz said in a tweet.
“The next president must nominate a justice who will continue Justice Scalia’s unwavering belief in the founding principles that we hold dear,” Rubio said.
Carson said it was “imperative that the Senate not allow President Obama to diminish his legacy by trying to nominate an individual who would carry on his wishes to subvert the will of the People.”
He called on the Senate to “stop any attempts to fill this crucial seat” until the next president is elected.
Scalia, the longest-serving justice on the Court, died Saturday at the age of 79.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) said a nominee should be picked in 2017, signaling he does not want the Senate to consider an Obama nominee.
Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) and Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Patrick Leahy (Vt.), pushed back, arguing it would be irresponsible for the Senate to wait that long to replace Scalia.