PORTLAND, Maine — Sen. Susan Collins says the president and the Senate should take the appointment of a successor to Justice Antonin Scalia "one step at a time."
The Maine Republican said last week that it was premature to discuss a successor before Scalia's funeral, which happened over the weekend.
She now says that "we should follow the regular order" that includes a nomination by President Barack Obama and a hearing by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Collins said it's not unusual to have tension over judicial nominees.
She was one of 14 senators who helped to break a logjam over judicial nominees from then-President Bush in 2005. She also pointed out that Obama as a senator tried to block the nomination of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, who was nominated by Bush.