President Obama announces Merrick Garland as Supreme Court nominee

WASHINGTON, D.C. (KUSI) — 8:00 a.m. — President Obama announced Chief Judge Merrick Garland as his nominee for Supreme Court. 

Republicans in the Senate have promised they will contest President Obama’s choice. In 2013, when Judge Garland was appointed to his current role, his nomination was challenged by Republicans claiming another judge was not needed in the court. Although he is expected to align with liberal members of the Court, he is considered down-the-middle and is reportedly well-liked by moderate judges. 

7:30 a.m. — President Obama will announce Merrick Garland, Chief Judge for the Federal Appeals Court as his nominee for Supreme Court Justice, sources tell the Associated Press.

6:30 a.m. — President Obama is expected to announce his nominee for Supreme Court Justice Wednesday. The nominee will replace Justice Antonin Scalia after his death in February.

RELATED: President Obama vows to fill SCOTUS position with ‘indisputably qualified’ nominee

Three judges from the Federal Appeals Court judges are being considered:

Merrick Garland is Chief Judge of the appeals court in Washington D.C. The 63-year-old judge is considered moderate, but may be able to convince republicans to change their stance on issues considering he is praised by lawmakers on both sides of party lines. He was also considered for Supreme Court in 2009 before President Obama selected Justice Sonia Sotomayor.  

Serving on the same court is 49-year-old Sri Srinivasan. Invasion would be the first Asian-American and the first Hindu in the high court. He was mentioned as a contender immediately after Scalia’s death.

Also in contention early on was 48-year-old judge Paul Watford. Watford’s circuit, the 9th circuit in San Francisco, is considered one of the most liberal courts in the country although he receives high marks from conservatives as well.