Nevada’s Republican gov. being vetted for Supreme Court nomination: WaPo

“Earlier today, I notified the White House that I do not wish to be considered at this time for possible nomination to the Supreme Court of the United States”, Sandoval said in a statement, adding he’s told key Senate leaders the same.

After a quick reminder that the goal of the meeting was not to defund Planned Parenthood (that’s Thursday), McConnell and Senate Republicans were seen huddling in a star formation around the sacrificial throne, dancing in solidarity against Obama’s nominee selections.

On Thursday, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said she thought it would be a good idea for President Obama to nominate a Republican. A few Republicans, including McConnell, have said they would not even meet with the nominee when that person makes customary introductions on Capitol Hill.

Within a day, however, the White House had drawn its battle lines: Obama and his allies declared that the Constitution gives him the right to find a replacement, the Senate is duty-bound to start confirmation hearings and to do otherwise would be Republican obstructionism. It was hard to know whether Sandoval was being considered seriously, or whether the West Wing was trolling congressional Republicans, but if the goal was to float a rumor that got people talking, it worked like a charm.

The Washington Post and Reuters both reported that the Nevada governor and former federal judge was among a list of possible candidates to succeed Justice Antonin Scalia. Moreover, he is looking for someone whose aim is to interpret the law rather than making the law.

“A sterling record”, President Obama wrote.

Filling the vacancy left by Scalia’s unexpected death on February 13 is crucial because the Supreme Court now has a 4-4 ideological split between justices who are usually conservative and those who are in its liberal wing.

In a statement, Sandoval said he has also “expressed the same desire” to Senators Harry Reid, Dean Heller and Mitch McConnell. “Absolutely not. It’s an issue about the process and this is an opportunity for the people to have a voice in choosing next Supreme Court justice”, said Grassley. Al Franken, D-Minn., joined Blumenthal, Murphy, and Schumer in accepting petitions said to have more than one million signatures urging action on an Obama nominee.

Before last week, the name Brian Sandoval was as far away as can be from any conversations about the Supreme Court.