A spokeswoman for Sen. Susan Collins (R., Maine), one of two Republican senators the White House is most worried could derail the confirmation of President Donald Trump's eventual Supreme Court nominee, said Collins will not apply an ideological litmus test to the nominee.
"When Senator Collins evaluates judges, she always looks at their judicial temperament; qualifications; experience; and respect for precedent, the rule of law, and the Constitution," Collins spokeswoman Annie Clark told the Portland Press Herald.
"Senator Collins does not apply ideological litmus tests to nominees," Clark said.
Collins has said she considers Roe v. Wade settled law, but the statement from her office indicates opposition to that ruling alone should not cause her to oppose a nominee.
This position is consistent with her support for Trump's first Supreme Court nominee, Neil Gorsuch, who is seen as being pro-life.
Collins voted to support all five Supreme Court justices nominated during her tenure, including two from President George W. Bush and two from President Barack Obama.
Of the 25 names Trump has listed as potential nominees to the Court, Collins has supported all of the candidates nominated to a court during her time in the Senate except one, Judge William Pryor of the Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.
Abortion rights groups – responding to Justice Anthony Kennedy's announcement he will retire in July from the Supreme Court – did not wait to hear who Trump's latest nominee will be before lobbying Collins to oppose the pick.
Dawn Laguens, executive vice president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said people should assume everyone on Trump's list oppose Roe v. Wade and thus should be a "nonstarter" with senators who support reproductive rights.
The Republican caucus is lobbying hard to get Collins on board with Trump's eventual nominee, but the senator realizes she has no easy options, Politico reported.
"No matter how I vote there are going to be people who are furious at me," Collins said.