Senate

Mike Lee: I ‘would not say no’ to Supreme Court seat

by Jordain Carney - 01/05/17 9:23 PM ET

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) is opening the door to a potential nomination from President-elect Donald Trump to serve on the Supreme Court.

“If he asked me that question, I would not say no,” he said when asked about a potential nomination during a radio interview Thursday on “The Doug Wright Show.”

But Lee said he was “very grateful” to have won reelection to the Senate in November.

Trump has released 21 names as potential picks to fill the late Justice Antonin Scalia’s seat. Though Scalia died nearly a year ago, the seat has remained vacant because Senate Republicans refused to give Merrick Garland, President Obama’s nominee, a hearing or a vote.

{mosads}Lee noted that because he isn’t a judge, “one could easily conclude that I’m less likely to be chosen” for the lifetime position.

“The shortlist is 21 people long,” he said. “Presidents these days do very much tend to prefer putting a sitting jurist on the Supreme Court.”

Lee’s brother, Utah Supreme Court Associate Chief Justice Tom Lee, is also on Trump’s list. The Utah Republican said he would “arguably be the best choice” for the Supreme Court seat.

Whoever Trump picks will need 60 votes, including the support of at least eight Democrats, to clear the Senate.

Mike Lee, a close ally of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), didn’t endorse Trump during the White House race, and his staff shot down speculation earlier this year that he was interested in the position.

Lee and Trump met last month and discussed the Supreme Court, as well as repealing and replacing ObamaCare.

Tags Donald Trump Mike Lee Ted Cruz