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After Meeting With Him, Nelson Says Supreme Court Nominee Garland Is Man For Job

Florida Democratic Senator Bill Nelson says after meeting President Barack Obama’s nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, he’s backing him.

On Wednesday, Nelson met with Merrick Garland, a chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. In a statement, Nelson says Garland is “qualified, and should be confirmed as soon as possible.” But, the Republican-led Senate has yet to reconsider its position to not take up the nomination. Back in February, Nelson told reporters that’s not right.

“That’s not how the constitution works,” said Nelson, at the time. “So, I think it’s a very serious constitutional responsibility that I take seriously to record a vote on a presidential nominee for a vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court.”

Florida Senator Marco Rubio, a Republican, has supported the position to let the next President decide the nominee to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia. Rubio has said while he’s more than willing to meet with anyone, he sees no point in meeting with Garland. Still, Garland has met with a number of Congressmen and women already, including some Republicans.

For more news updates, follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter: @SaschaCordner.

Sascha Cordner has more than ten years of public radio experience. It includes working at NPR member station WUFT-FM in Gainesville for several years. She's worked in both radio and TV, serving in various capacities as a reporter, producer and anchor. She's also a graduate of the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in telecommunications. She is the recipient of 15 awards from the Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and Edward R. Murrow. Her award-winning stories include her coverage on the infamous “Dozier School for Boys” and a feature titled "Male Breast Cancer: Lost in the Sea of Pink." Currently, Sascha serves as the host and producer of local and state news content for the afternoon news program "All Things Considered" at WFSU. Sascha primarily covers criminal justice and social services issues. When she's not reporting, Sascha likes catching up on her favorite TV shows, singing and reading. Follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter:@SaschaCordner.