Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson said on Tuesday that the Senate would likely confirm President Obama's Supreme Court nominee to replace Antonin Scalia — if the president nominated "a Justice Scalia clone."
"What I've heard leader McConnell say and maybe he said something else is, let's, in the end, let the American people decide," the Republican senator said on the Big John Howell Show on Chicago radio. "So hey, if President Obama appoints a Justice Scalia clone, my guess is we confirm a Justice Scalia clone. That's not gonna happen. We already know the type of justices he put on the court and so I doubt a liberal activist justice, judge, would be confirmed by the Senate."
Johnson went on to say that the Senate "might" hold hearings for the person nominated to the court, but that it didn't make "much political difference" whether they didn't act or voted the nominee down.
"I don't think Chuck Grassley or Senator McConnell are saying no process whatsoever," Johnson said. "They're just saying, their advice is, let the American people decide in 2016 and if we do vote and we vote 'no' on confirmation that would be saying let the American people decide the direction of the court by having the next president choose."
Asked if he had heard any names that he would vote to confirm, Johnson answered, "No. No. Is there an Antonin Scalia, Jr.?"