CARSON CITY, Nev., Feb. 25 (UPI) — Former judge and current Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval told the White House Thursday that he does not wish to be considered by President Barack Obama for nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Sandoval, Nevada’s former attorney general and U.S. District Court judge, was said to be on Obama’s list of potential nominees. However, he said Thursday that he doesn’t want “to be considered this time for a possible nomination.”
“I have also spoken to Sens. Reid, Heller and McConnell and expressed the same desire to them. The notion of being considered for a seat on the highest court in the land is beyond humbling, and I am incredibly grateful to have been mentioned,” Sandoval continued, according to Reno Gazette-Journal reporter Jon Ralston.
The White House has not given any indication as to who Obama is considering for a high court appointment.
“I’m not going to get into a lot of details about who’s on the president’s list and who is not,” White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said Thursday.
Nevada Sen. Harry Reid recommended Sandoval as a replacement justice for Antonin Scalia, who died Feb. 13. Reports of Sandoval’s vetting for the potential post were made by news media on Wednesday.
“He didn’t want to put his family through that process if the Senate was locked down,” one source told the Gazette-Journal, referring to the ongoing debate between Obama and Republican senators who have said they want the next president to nominate Scalia’s replacement.
