GOP Senator Says Justice Kennedy Will Likely Retire Early This Summer

The retirement rumors have been floating around for what feels like forever, but we’ll know if this one is true within a few months.

GOP Sen. Dean Heller says Justice Kennedy will likely retire early this summer.

“Kennedy is going to retire around sometime early summer,” Heller told a group of people at an event in Las Vegas last week. “Which I’m hoping will get our base a little motivated because right now they’re not very motivated. But I think a new Supreme Court justice will get them motivated.”

The 45-minute recording of the media-shy Heller shows a senator defending President Donald Trump repeatedly, breaking only delicately with the president on issues like trade and gun control. It’s in line with the tightrope Heller has to walk to have any hope of winning reelection against a Trump-inspired Republican primary opponent and a highly touted Democratic general election challenger — in a state that Hillary Clinton won in 2016.

Heller can’t afford to lose conservatives by breaking with Trump, yet must keep a lane to the center open to win a general election. It’s the trickiest political equation facing any GOP senator on the ballot this year.

It makes sense. I get why he’s looking to Kennedy to help him out. Approving Supreme Court Justices– that’s a big deal. Even if some Republicans in Nevada are on the fence on Heller, KNOWING about a Supreme Court vacancy will likely sway them to show up and vote for Heller.

“I’m not going to sit here and criticize him,” Heller said when asked about Trump’s flirtation with Democrats on gun control. “Because everything else he’s touched, like this economy, has been just incredible. So, I don’t want to get too far in front of some of these policies.”

Smart move.

The Politico article largely focuses on Heller’s political future, but I think everyone’s missing the big takeaway: Trump will get the chance to appoint another Supreme Court Justice.

Many Republicans credit the Supreme Court vacancy in 2016 with keeping the Senate in GOP control — and making Trump president. Heller went on to float Sen. Mike Lee for the job, calling the Utah Republican the type of conservative who could energize Nevada’s electorate in the June 12 primary. Lee’s office declined to comment.

“Mike Lee from Utah is probably on that short list of the next Supreme Court justice in our courts,” Heller said during the Q-and-A session with the J. Reuben Clark Law Society in Las Vegas Friday.

This news has BOTH sides gearing up.

Let Me Make This Clear:

The most important thing we can do is keep the Senate for when Justice Kennedy retires.

If we control the Senate, we control the Supreme Court. #JusticeKennedy

— #ThePersistence (@ScottPresler) March 9, 2018

Senator Dean Heller says that Justice Kennedy will retire this summer, leaving a seat open in the Supreme court for Trump to fill.

In other words, we need to flip the House and Senate so that we can prevent Trump from putting @JudgeJeanine in the Supreme Court!#BlueWave

— Ed Krassenstein 💎 (@EdKrassen) March 9, 2018

As if we needed further reason to flip the House and Senate, reports this morning indicate that S.C Justice Kennedy will retire this summer.

There is no way Trump should be able to appoint a new Justice until we figure out if he’s compromised.

A Dem Congress will see to that!

— Brian Krassenstein🐬 (@krassenstein) March 9, 2018

“…until we figure out if he’s compromised”??? What planet is Brian living on?

This is huge – Justice Kennedy is going to retire this summer! He is the moderate “swing vote”.

Now that the GOP only needs 50 votes to approve a SC Justice, Trump should pick a hardcore Republican.

The GOP will own the Supreme Court for decades.
https://t.co/Jh4Y6lcnT3

— Jack Bailey 🇺🇸 (@JackBaileyUSA) March 9, 2018

Justice Kennedy may retire‼

🚨 This is why we MUST take back the house and senate 🚨

We must be able to block another extremist Supreme Court appointment by 45. Other things he does, we can reverse. This is a lifetime appointment that will impact generations. #BlueWave2018 https://t.co/9dMrZzpAlK

— Storm (Still not Stormy)🕊 (@StormResist) March 9, 2018

Justice Kennedy to Retire! If The Hill report turns out to be true, it is imperative the House pass the Heartbeat bill, HR 490, now & past time for @nrlc (National Right to Life) to plan for a #ProLife Supreme Court! https://t.co/uHuK2OMRSm

— Steve King (@SteveKingIA) March 9, 2018

Dean Heller does a giant bear hug of Trump. He’s so desperate he’s counting on a Supreme Court justice retiring this summer to gin up the base. https://t.co/ThLxy7Lks7

— Topher Spiro (@TopherSpiro) March 9, 2018

Desperate times call for desperate measures, I guess.

This is going to be a fun one to watch.