As public grieves Justice Ginsburg’s death, lawmakers ready to battle to fill her Supreme Court seat

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Mourners in the Twin Cities have spent the weekend remembering Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Sunday night, hundreds gathered in Boom Island Park for a vigil honoring the life of Ginsburg, days after the news of her death broke on Friday.

But, as the grieving continues, lawmakers in Washington are set to get back to work on Monday with some pushing to start the process to fill the vacant seat on the Supreme Court left by Ginsburg's death. 

"Take an election which already seemed to be on steroids and this just adds one more aspect to it," said political science professor David Schultz.

Schultz explained the process of nominating and securing a Supreme Court justice is usually contentious. However, this close to Election Day, the contention is even more amplified.

"It’s a Republican president, it’s a Republican Senate," he explained. "They might have the ability to push this through and they want to do so."

First step: President Trump has to nominate someone for the position. 

"Typically, from the time a president nominates to where they do the background checks on Supreme Court nominees, let us say security checks and a whole bunch of other things, it takes several months," Schultz added. "So it’s going to be pretty hard between now and Election Day to actually do a hearing."

But regardless of who wins that election, President Trump will be president through the end of this year which could be enough time for the Republican-majority Senate to push through the vote.

"Well, right now, the Republicans hold a 53 to 47 majority in the Senate," Schultz said. "There would need to be at least four Republicans to flip."

Two Republican Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski have come out saying they think a Supreme Court confirmation should come after the election.

"But there’s going to be enormous pressure by Mitch McConnell on the Republicans in terms of trying to get them to stay in the field," Schultz concluded.