Merrick Garland is already arranging meetings with senators

President Obama's Supreme Court nominee Judge Merrick Garland reportedly started calling senators almost as soon as his nomination was announced. Garland faces an uphill battle to being confirmed, with many Republican senators saying he will not have their support due to the fact he was picked by Obama near the end of his term.

Aides who spoke with The New York Times report Garland has reached out to Democrats and Republicans alike, and is holding some meetings on Capitol Hill Thursday.

The centrist federal appeals court judge was Obama's first choice for a nominee, according to White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest. "The president has put forward the individual he believes is the best person to fill a Supreme Court vacancy. The president stands strongly behind the nominee."

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