If a Republican wins the presidential election this fall, Utah Sen. Mike Lee could be nominated to the Supreme Court, a new report reveals.
According to
The Washington Post, conservatives in the nation's capital are lobbying Donald Trump to nominate Lee should he win the November election. And if Texas Sen. Ted Cruz becomes president, he has already promised to think about choosing Lee to replace Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in February.
Democrats, however, see it differently. President Barack Obama nominated Merrick Garland to the court but
Republicans are stalling and vowing not to hold confirmation hearings in this election year.
Another drama could play out if Democrat Hillary Clinton wins the presidency, in which case Democrats would try to confirm Garland to the court before she takes office and potentially chooses a more liberal judge, according to the Post.
Lee's name has been floated around as a potential justice for a while, and his age (44) would likely mean his term would last for decades. Last month, he seemed
open to serving on the court when asked about it.
"I'm not gunning for it, I'm not expecting it," Lee said. "[But] I don't think anyone would rule out the possibility."
Lee endorsed Cruz for president in March.
Lee worked as a lawyer for several years before joining the Senate in 2011.