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Antonin Scalia

Who could replace Scalia? Here are 10 names

Richard Wolf
USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — Who could replace Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia if Republicans don't block all of President Obama's nominees, as appears likely? Here are 10 possibilities:

President Obama speaks at the Rose Garden with Patricia Millett in June 2013.

Sri Srinivasan: The 48-year-old federal appeals court judge was confirmed unanimously in 2013 for a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit — a traditional steppingstone to the Supreme Court. He would be the court's first Indian-American justice.

Sri Srinivasan: Supreme Court justice in the making?

Patricia Millett: Srinivasan's 52-year-old colleague on the D.C. Circuit is popular in both parties and is frequently mentioned as a possible candidate. She argued 32 cases before the Supreme Court as an advocate.

Merrick Garland: At 63, Garland is older than most nominees, since presidents want their choices to stick around for decades on the bench. He is a moderate who serves as chief judge on the D.C. Circuit court and could be a compromise choice.

Kamala Harris: California's attorney general, 51, could be another leading candidate. She has the added luster of holding political office, a life experience that is sorely lacking on the Supreme Court. But she's currently running for the U.S. Senate seat of retiring Sen. Barbara Boxer, so she likely wouldn't want a fated nomination.

Jacqueline Nguyen: The Asian-American judge, who sits on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, has been mentioned frequently in the initial hours after Scalia's death. At 50, she is the perfect age for a nominee.

Amy Klobuchar: If the Senate would be less inclined to block one of its own, the senior senator from Minnesota, 55, might be someone Obama would consider.

Adalberto Jordan: This Cuban-American appellate judge sits on the 11th Circuit, where he was named by Obama in 2012. At 54, he is the right age and could bring a new ethnicity to the court.

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Loretta Lynch: The U.S. attorney general. 56, just went through a lengthy confirmation process and has the scars to prove it. She is a black woman with prosecutorial experience and is being touted as one of the most likely nominees.

Paul Watford: A judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, Watford, 48, is another Obama nominee with a potentially stellar future. Some court-watchers expect the African-American judge to be Obama's first choice -- but possibly not for a fated nomination.

Jane Kelly: She is a 51-year-old judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit who was a career public defender. From Iowa, she has enjoyed the prior support of Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, who heads the Senate Judiciary Committee. And Iowa is a purple state.

More on the death of Justice Scalia:

Obama says he'll nominate Scalia's successor

GOP hopefuls at debate react to Scalia death

First Take: Justice Scalia's death will trigger lengthy battle over replacement

Justice Scalia found dead at Texas ranch

Republicans already opposing any Obama Supreme Court nomination

Timeline: Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia's life

Five notable dissents from Justice Antonin Scalia

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