LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — U.S. Senators Tom Cotton and John Boozman released statements after Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer's retirement was announced on Thursday.
Both senators thanked Breyer for his service on the Supreme Court and wished him well in his retirement.
Cotton, who has been vocal on Twitter about his opposition toward President Joe Biden's administration, said the president should nominate a jurist "committed to the Constitution and the rule of law, instead of nominating yet another unqualified, left-wing ideologue, as he has done so often with lower-court nominees."
Boozman said his criteria remains the same for Biden's nomination and that the administration should "expect a full, vigorous vetting."
"As was the case with the last three justices I helped confirm under President Trump, any nominee should be widely respected and well-qualified with a demonstrated commitment to upholding the Constitution and following the intent of Congress," Boozman said.
Biden has promised the public that he would fill the opening with the court's first Black woman. The president said he intends to hear from senators from each party before choosing a nominee.
One of the frontrunners in the nomination process is Ketanji Brown Jackson, who is one of Breyer's former clerks and is currently an appeals court judge in the D.C. circuit.
Other potential nominees include U.S. District Judge J. Michelle Childs and California Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger.
He plans to announce his pick by the end of February.
The Senate confirms federal judges, needing a 51-vote majority. The parties are at a 50-50 split, but Vice President Kamala Harris will serve as a tiebreaker if needed.
In Biden's first year, the Senate confirmed 42 of his district and appeals court nominees. Democrats have voted for each of the 42 nominees.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.