Mark Kelly says Supreme Court pick should be chosen by election winner

PHOENIX — Arizona Senate candidate Mark Kelly believes the pick to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court should be chosen by the winner of November’s presidential election.

Kelly told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Gaydos and Chad on Wednesday that Ginsburg’s replacement shouldn’t be selected so close to the election, which is about a month away.

President Donald Trump nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett on Saturday, a move criticized by Democrats for its haste and because of Barrett’s conservative record.

“Regardless of the person he nominated, I don’t think this should be done now,” Kelly, a Democrat, said. “I think it should be in January…after Jan. 20 regardless of who the next president is. It should be that president.”

Trump has moved swiftly to fill Ginsburg’s spot, partially in hopes of boosting his reelection chances.

Barrett’s confirmation would also shift the Supreme Court in favor of conservative values that don’t fit Kelly’s platform.

Kelly said that would have an effect on Arizonans, especially when it comes to health care protections.

Kelly, who has been leading Republican U.S. Sen. Martha McSally in the polls for months, stopped short of saying whether he’d vote against Trump’s pick if he were to win his election and start his term early.

“I don’t think Washington D.C. should be rushing that pick through for political reasons,” Kelly said. “We are 34 days away from an election.”

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