Gov. Paul LePage of Maine broke from his Republican colleagues Thursday, saying President Obama has a constitutional duty to nominate a successor to the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.
“I’m a big constitutionalist,” LePage told the Maine Sun Journal. “If it’s in the Constitution, I think it means something.”
{mosads}LePage has gained national attention for making controversial comments. Last month, he called for public executions by guillotine of convicted murderers. He also warned that drug dealers named “D-Money, Smoothie, Shifty” were bringing drugs into his state and impregnating “young, white” girls.
His Thursday comments regarding the Supreme Court put him at odds with Senate Republicans, many of whom have vowed to block any potential nominee Obama puts forward.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called for Scalia’s replacement to be nominated by the next president, who would not take office for another 11 months.
LePage added he is not concerning himself with the nomination fight.
“I have no clue what the federal government is going to do … so I don’t even worry about it,” he said.