Politicsmark kirk 2016 electionsSupreme Court

GOP Senator: We Should 'Man Up And Cast A Vote' On Obama's Court Pick

That's not what Republican leaders want to do.
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By 

Senior Politics Reporter, HuffPost

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Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) is in a tight reelection campaign, which may be why he's willing do something crazy like follow Senate tradition and have hearings on a Supreme Court nominee.
Tom Williams via Getty Images

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) said Friday that his party needs to "just man up and cast a vote" on President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee -- a break from GOP leaders' position that there will be no votes or even hearings until there's a new president.

Kirk made his comments on "The Big John Howell Show" on WLS, an Illinois radio station. He went on to say, in essence, what Senate Democrats have been saying all along about voting on Merrick Garland: It's our job.

"The tough thing about these Senatorial jobs is you get yes or no votes," he said. "Your whole job is to either say yes or no, and explain why."

The Illinois Republican is in a tight race with Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D), who is trying to unseat him in November. He's been trying to cast himself as above politics, and in recent days has been distancing himself from his party leaders' firm stance on denying Garland hearings.

A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) declined to comment.

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Before You Go

Supreme Court Justices Get Out Of The Office
Sonia Sotomayor(01 of14)
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Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor throws out the ceremonial first pitch before the New York Yankees play the Boston Red Sox in a baseball game at Yankee Stadium in New York. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun) (credit:AP)
Elena Kagan(02 of14)
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Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, center, stands on the field during batting practice before a baseball game between the Washington Nationals and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Nationals Park in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) (credit:AP)
Samuel A. Alito(03 of14)
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United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. throws out the ceremonial pitch before a baseball game between the Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers Wednesday, June 19, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) (credit:AP)
Ruth Bader Ginsburg (04 of14)
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U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg waves to the crowd before discussing Roe vs. Wade case on its 40th anniversary at The University of Chicago Law School in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty) (credit:AP)
Antonin Scalia(05 of14)
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US Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia poses for a photo during the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington, DC. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Sonia Sotomayor(06 of14)
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U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor pushes the Waterford crystal button that signals the descent of the New Years Eve Ball in Times Square in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP) (credit:AP)
Antonin Scalia(07 of14)
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Surrounded by security, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia walks October 10, 2005 in the annual Columbus Day Parade in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Samuel A. Alito, Jr.(08 of14)
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United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr., left, participates in a fireside chat event with the Honorable Ronald A. Cass at Roger Williams University Law School in Bristol, RI. (AP Photo/Lindsey Anderson) (credit:AP)
Ruth Bader Ginsburg (09 of14)
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U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg speaks with National Constitution Center president and CEO Jeffrey Rosen. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) (credit:AP)
John Roberts(10 of14)
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Chief Justice John Roberts stands in front of the U.S. Supreme Court Building in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Ruth Bader Ginsburg(11 of14)
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Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, left, enters the UC Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. Ginsburg is scheduled to discuss the role of Supreme Court Justices in our political system; progress on achieving gender equality, the legal limits of free speech, working relationships among the Justices, and more at the law school this evening. (AP Photo/Ben Margot) (credit:AP)
Clarence Thomas(12 of14)
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Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas addresses the audience during a program at the Duquesne University School of Law in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Tribune Review, Sidney Davis) (credit:AP)
Elena Kagan(13 of14)
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Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Elena Kagan speaks onstage at the FORTUNE Most Powerful Women Summit on October 16, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for FORTUNE) (credit:Getty Images)
Stephen Breyer (14 of14)
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US Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer answers a question during an interview with Agence France-Presse at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC. (JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty Images)
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