President Obama is nominating Merrick Garland, chief judge of the D.C. Circuit, to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court. 

Garland has been on the D.C. Circuit court for 19 years, and seven sitting Republican senators were around back then to confirm him, including Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah. In fact, Sen. Hatch commented just last week that Garland would be an acceptable nominee, telling Newsmax that Obama "could easily name Merrick Garland, who is a fine man," adding that "he probably won't do that because this appointment is about the election." Hatch also sang Garland's praises back in 2010, and offered his support: "I have no doubts that Garland would get a lot of (Senate) votes. And I will do my best to help him get them."