The future of the US Supreme Court grabbed center stage in the country's
presidential campaign with the sudden death of Justice Antonin Scalia,
setting up an election-year battle over who should succeed him on a
nine-member bench that interprets US law over such hot-button issues as
abortion, gay marriage, healthcare and immigration.
The death of the 79-year-old conservative justice, announced by Chief Justice John Roberts, promises to provoke a major confrontation between President Barack Obama, a Democrat, and the Republican-controlled Senate over who will replace Scalia later this year.
The prospect of such a battle drew swift and furious comment from candidates vying to be elected president in November 2016
The US president has the job of nominating justices, and the Senate has the job of confirming.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, whose Republicans control the Senate, issued a statement saying the vacancy should not be filled until Obama's successor takes office next January so that voters can have a say in the selection
The death of the 79-year-old conservative justice, announced by Chief Justice John Roberts, promises to provoke a major confrontation between President Barack Obama, a Democrat, and the Republican-controlled Senate over who will replace Scalia later this year.
The prospect of such a battle drew swift and furious comment from candidates vying to be elected president in November 2016
The US president has the job of nominating justices, and the Senate has the job of confirming.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, whose Republicans control the Senate, issued a statement saying the vacancy should not be filled until Obama's successor takes office next January so that voters can have a say in the selection
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