Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is open to filling a seat on the Supreme Court if one opens up this year — an election year — a move in sharp contrast to his decision to block President Barack Obama's nominee to the high court following Justice Antonin Scalia's death in 2016.
"I'm not aware of any vacancy, but if you're asking me a hypothetical about whether this Republican Senate would confirm a member of the Supreme Court to a vacancy they created this year, we would fill it," McConnell told Bret Baier during an appearance on Fox News on Thursday night.
"The Senate is of the same party as the president of the United States and in that situation, we would confirm," he added.
Obama in 2016 nominated a successor to Scalia, Judge Merrick Garland, but was blocked by McConnell – he would not even hold a hearing.
McConnell explained that his decision in 2016 was based on a custom dating to the 19th century that a Senate controlled by a party other than the president's would not act on such a nomintion in an election year.
Trump later appointed conservative Neil Gorsuch. On "Special Report," McConnell said the difference between now and three years ago is the White House and Senate are controlled by Republicans.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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