WASHINGTON, April 10 (UPI) -- The White House says it expects a major U.S. Senate fight over President Barack Obama's nominee to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens.
Election-year politics will further intensify the debate as members of Congress gear up for campaigns, officials say.
The Washington Post notes the nation has become a whole lot more divided politically since Obama nominated Judge Sonia Sonia Sotomayor to the high court in June, largely because of the fierce battle over healthcare reform.
Some Republicans view steadfast opposition to Obama's agenda as a key to gaining seats in the midterm elections in November.
"The one thing I am sure of is that it won't be an appointment that flies through the Judiciary Committee and the Senate without some extremely contentious debate," said Robert Dallek, a presidential historian.
Democrats worry GOP delays could push the confirmation process past the August recess and into the heart of the fall campaign season, the Post said.
A White House official involved in the nomination process said the administration hopes the confirmation is completed before the recess.
The Senate, where Democrats no longer enjoy the 60-seat filibuster-proof majority, has filibustered only one Supreme Court nomination. The bipartisan move in 1968 blocked Justice Abe Fortas's ascension to chief justice.
