President Donald Trump is deflecting a question on whether he should wait until after the midterm elections to announce a successor to retiring Justice Anthony 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 blocked President Barack Obama from filling the vacancy created by Justice Antonin Scalia's 2016 death.

McConnell refused to act on President Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland, and the seat was left open until after the 2016 presidential election, allowing Trump to nominate Justice Neil Gorsuch.

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 said Wednesday the opening on the court from Justice Anthony 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.

 

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