Tennessee governor Bill Lee said he's in favor of allowing President Donald Trump to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg last week.
Gov. Lee confirmed his support of allowing Trump to name the next Supreme Court justice during his weekly COVID-19 press conference on Wednesday, FOX 17 News reports. Lee told reporters flags at the Capitol Building and other state buildings were at half-staff in honor of Justice Ginsburg, but wanted to clarify his stance that the vacancy "should absolutely be filled" by the sitting president, despite the election being less than two months away.
"The president has a responsibility to provide a nominee," Gov. Lee said. "By the way, a third of our U.S. presidents in history have appointed a nominee or a Supreme Court Justice in an election year."
Gov. Lee mentioned the Constitution giving the president and the Senate the right to fill the seat, adding, "The Senate also has not only the responsibility but an obligation to consider that nominee and in my view to vote on it."
Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has vowed President Trump will receive a vote on the Senate floor, but has not specified when, the Associated Press reports. In 2016, McConnell refused to consider President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Merrick Garland, eight months prior to the 2016 Presidential Election.