Most Americans said in a poll conducted before Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death Friday the Senate should have confirmation hearings on a Supreme Court nominee if a spot opens up on the bench.
About 67% of U.S. citizens said the Senate should have hearings compared to 32% who said it should not consider a Supreme Court nominee during an election year.
A party breakdown showed 71% of independents, 68% of Republicans, and 63% of Democrats thought confirmation hearings should take place.
The poll was conducted between Sept. 8-Sept. 15. The responses were collected only days before Ginsburg died due to complications of metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has said the Senate will move forward to fill the vacancy on the high court.
"Americans reelected our majority in 2016 and expanded it in 2018 because we pledged to work with President Trump and support his agenda, particularly his outstanding appointments to the federal judiciary. Once again, we will keep our promise," McConnell said in a statement Friday.
"President Trump's nominee will receive a vote on the floor of the United States Senate," McConnell said.
President Donald Trump is expected to nominate either circuit Judges Amy Coney Barrett and Amul Thapar as the leading candidates for the seat.
Democrats, however, want the open seat to remain open until next year when a president has been chosen.
"The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice. Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president," Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a tweet, restating McConnell's words from 2016.
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