Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer has officially announced his retirement. While the speculation on who will replace him is already out of control, Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) says the process should not be rushed. Collins had the same thought process for the last time Supreme Court appointments and has made headlines casting deciding votes in the past.

This time, the Senator said she believes it is essential that Biden and other Democratic officials take their time choosing the right candidate instead of trying to get a nominee in as soon as possible. “I felt that the timetable for the last nominee was too compressed,” she expressed, which is why she ended up voting down the candidate despite their having compatible views.

Collins even said in the same appearance that she thinks it is too early to speculate on whom the POTUS will nominate. Senator Chuck Schumer had a different tone, saying that he feels it is his responsibility to bring forth nominees with “all deliberate speed.” Collin’s fellow Senator from Maine, Angus King, has not made any comments about the speed of the nominations.

King did release a statement praising Justice Stephen Beyer’s time in the Supreme court, saying he “has served the nation with thought, skill and dedication over his nearly 28 year-tenure.” While Collins has expressed similar sentiments, the pressure to comment on the current situation rests more heavily on her. In the past, she cast a crucial vote in confirming Justice Brett Kavanaugh and an even more meaningful vote against confirming Amy Coney Barrett.

While any nominee presented will most likely result in pushback from republicans, democrats do hold 50 Senate seats. If there were to be a tie, Vice President Kamala Harris would cast the final vote. As Senator Collins pointed out, “This time, there is no need to rush.” Hopefully, whoever is voted in holds up the standards set by Beyer, whom Collins said: “has a great deal of integrity.”

“This time there is no need for any rush. We can take our time, have hearings, go through the process … It is a lifetime appointment after all.”

— Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) on filling Justice Breyer’s seat on the Supreme Court pic.twitter.com/jgLes1qqdc

— The Recount (@therecount) January 27, 2022