President-elect Donald Trump offered some hints Wednesday as to when he will name a successor to the late Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court.
During a press conference at Trump Tower in New York, the press pool asked when he intends to nominate a Supreme Court nominee, and if he has begun interviewing candidates.
“We have met with numerous candidates,” Trump said. “They’re outstanding in every case.” The statement is the first confirmation that the president-elect has met with possible appointees to the high court.
Reports suggests the leading contenders are Judge William Pryor of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Diane Sykes of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Neil Gorsuch of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Thomas Hardiman of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Steven Colloton of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and Justice Joan Larsen of the Michigan Supreme Court. (RELATED: Here Are The Favorites For Trump’s Supreme Court Nominee)
Trump added that the Heritage Foundation president Jim DeMint and the Federalist Society’s Leonard Leo have been advising him on judicial selection.
Trump went on to say he will make a formal nomination within two weeks of taking office on Jan. 20.
“I’ll be making the decision on who we will put up for justice of the United States Supreme Court, a replacement for the great, great Justice Scalia, probably within two weeks of the 20th,” he said.
“I think its one of the reasons I got elected,” he added. “I think the people of this country did not want to see what was happening with the Supreme Court.”
Exit polls show 21 percent of voters characterized appointments to the high court as the most important issue of the election. These voters broke for Trump by 15 points, 56 percent to 41 percent.
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