7 GOP senators voted to confirm Merrick Garland in 1997
President Obama has had his work cut out for him in choosing a Supreme Court nominee that might satisfy Senate Republicans, who have vowed to deny any pick sent from the current president. However, that might be awkward for seven sitting GOP senators who voted to confirm Garland in 1997. Dan Coats (Ind.), Thad Cochran (Miss.), Susan Collins (Maine), Orrin Hatch (Utah), James M. Inhofe (Okla.), John McCain (Ariz.), and Pat Roberts (Kan.) have all thrown their weight behind Garland before.
Yet just because they once voted for Garland doesn't mean they will again:
Five still-serving Republicans also voted against Garland, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has helped lead the effort to block any Obama nominee.
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"This is an easy one. Both our leader and judiciary chairman voted against him when he was confirmed before and it's a clear recognition by the White House that we mean what we say: There will be no confirmation," a senior GOP aide told Politico. "If they thought we were going to cave, they would have put up a much different candidate."
