Supreme Court Strategery

Word is that the White House is considering Republican Governor Brian Sandoval as a compromise pick to fill Antonin Scalia's vacancy.

Republicans, of course, have insisted the next president will fill Scalia's seat. Which is an interesting strategy given Donald Trump's improving chances of being the GOP nominee. Is Mitch McConnell really willing to let Trump and his proto-libertarian views really pick the next Justice? The alternatives, of course, are Clinton or Sanders which might be only slightly worse - from McConnell's perspective - than Trump.

Then again, on the Democratic side is it worth caving to GOP intransigence and swallowing a "Republican centrist" (whatever that means) now in the form of Gov. Sandoval instead of allowing holding firm, calling the GOP's bluff and allowing - at worst - a President Trump to nominate someone who could very well be more liberal than Sandoval?

Has Trump and his unpredictability so upset the political calculations when it comes to this Supreme Court that Republicans might actually be better off with Obama nominating a Republican judge. And on the flip side, might Democrats be better off letting the GOP run out the clock and having Trump potentially selecting a pro-business liberal for the Court? 

Interesting that in light of Trump's romp in the Nevada caucuses last night for his 3rd straight win that I haven't seen anything about potential Trump judicial candidates.