Mitch McConnell, the Majority Leader, stated that the Senate will not consider any nominee to replace Justice Antonin Scalia until after the next president takes office in January. McConnell, who has been a vocal opponent of President Obama, said he would not even meet with the nominee chosen by Obama. According to the US Constitution, the Senate has the authority to approve or reject a president's Supreme Court pick. Republicans are hoping to delay the nomination process until after the presidential election in November, in the hopes that a Republican will be elected and able to fill Scalia's vacancy. McConnell stated that the nomination for the Supreme Court vacancy will be determined by the winner of the presidency in the upcoming fall election. He also mentioned that Senate Republicans overwhelmingly believe that the current president should not fill the vacancy. If Obama's nominee is approved, it could shift the court's balance to the left for the first time in many years. Scalia's passing has left the court evenly split between liberals and conservatives. The intense battle over a Supreme Court vacancy has not been seen since the controversial nominations of Robert Bork in 1987 and Clarence Thomas in 1991 by Republican presidents. Obama has not yet revealed his pick for the nomination. The White House and Senate Democrats criticized McConnell's position, with Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid calling it "obstruction on steroids" and lamenting the lack of compromise. McConnell and other congressional Republicans have consistently opposed various Obama initiatives, such as the healthcare law, Iran nuclear deal, immigration policy, and climate change efforts. McConnell referenced a previous statement by Vice President Joe Biden to support the Supreme Court's decision not to act. McConnell pointed out that Biden, while serving as Senate Judiciary Committee chairman in 1992, suggested delaying action on Supreme Court nominees during an election year. Biden later clarified that he was speaking hypothetically because there was no Supreme Court vacancy at the time. McConnell's decision came after Chairman Chuck Grassley and other Republican members of the Judiciary Committee informed him in a letter that the panel would not hold confirmation hearings, despite Grassley previously considering the possibility. Republican senators emphasized the importance of allowing the American people to engage in a thorough debate before the Nov 8 presidential election on the type of judge who will decide crucial issues. If the Senate delays consideration of a nominee until a new president is in office, it is unlikely that the Supreme Court will have all nine justices until early 2017. This would leave the court understaffed for over a year, hindering its decision-making process. In cases where there is a tie vote, lower court rulings stand and no national precedent is established. Reid believes that the Republican party's strategy is influenced by its right wing, specifically mentioning Donald Trump and Ted Cruz as examples. Reid stated that Senate Democrats would not block legislation, such as appropriations bills, in retaliation for Republican inaction, in order to avoid becoming known as the "obstruct caucus." White House spokesperson Josh Earnest expressed concern that denying a hearing for Obama's nominee would subject the Supreme Court to unprecedented political influence. Earnest pointed out that since 1875, a president's nominee has never been denied a hearing unless the nomination was later withdrawn. McConnell emphasized that while presidents have the right to nominate, the Senate also has the right to provide or withhold consent, and in this case, the Senate will withhold it. Schumer, a Senate Democratic leader, believed that Republican opposition would weaken as voters pressure vulnerable Republican Senate incumbents up for re-election to consider Obama's nominee. Schumer criticized Senate Republicans for their risky and ultimately unsuccessful strategy, while Senator Orrin Hatch defended their stance, emphasizing the importance of standing for a principle that should be resolved by the next president. The Democrats are at a disadvantage in the Senate with only 46 seats compared to the Republicans' 54 seats.