LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Governor Asa Hutchinson said on Tuesday that the Senate should move forward with a vote on President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee.
Lawmakers are debating if a new justice should be chosen before or after the upcoming election.
“Our country is very split and we are in the midst of a highly contested presidential election. My colleagues and I are committed to giving the American people a voice in the direction the court will take for generations to come,” said Arkansas Senator John Boozman in a 2016 statement on Garland’s nomination.
Hutchinson said on Tuesday that the Senate has a “constitutional responsibility” to hold a hearing and take a vote.
“That should move expeditiously but with adequate time for a review and appropriate hearings on it,” Hutchinson said.
When asked about his position on Garland in 2016, Hutchinson said he wasn’t aware that he had made a public statement at the time.
“I believe that I’ve advocated for the Constitution consistently, including four years ago,” Hutchinson said.
Trump is expected to nominate a woman to fill the seat by the end of the week.
“I’m excited to hear the announcement later this week as to who the president selects,” the governor said.
Boozman and Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton have both expressed public support for moving forward with the nomination before the 2020 presidential election.
