Mike Huckabee: I Want a Constitutionalist on Supreme Court

Former Gov. Mike Huckabee said Tuesday that he hopes President Donald Trump appoints a constitutionalist to the Supreme Court, and not a conservative.

Trump has yet to announce his choice to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy, or if he’s decided on a pick yet. The president said Tuesday that he plans to meet with several potential nominees before making a decision.

"The main thing the president is looking for are people that fit the qualifications that you would want in a Supreme Court Justice: tremendous intellect, someone who will stick to upholding the constitution and somebody who has great judicial temperament. Those are the big things the president is looking for in a candidate," Huckabee said on Fox News.

"I tell people all the time I'm not interested in the appointing a conservative justice because I don't want the person to be ideological," he added.

"I want him to be somebody who is pure to the original words and text of the constitution," Huckabee continued. "If a person comes with an ideological bent, liberal or conservative, they will be looking at things as if to legislate from the courts. We have a legislative body called Congress. The judicial branch has no right whatsoever under the constitution to legislate anything to originate a law and we need somebody who will be a purist when it comes to the constitution. I hope the president sticks to that. I think he will. I think the names on his list are people who are committed to that."

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