CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois politics, like that across the nation, is being roiled by the death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

Within hours of Scalia’s death, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate won’t consider any replacement justice nominated by President Obama.

Sen. Mark Kirk released a statement calling “unseemly” the political debate erupting about prospective nominees to fill the vacancy.

In a statement, Democratic Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth and state Sen. Napoleon Harris, who are seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge Kirk, contend the Senator should make it clear if whether he supports McConnell, or Obama’s constitutional duty to name a replacement.

Andrea Zopp, who is also vying for the Democratic nomination, dismissed Kirk’s statement as a cop out.

 

 

 

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