This morning, President Obama nominated Judge Merrick Garland to succeed Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court. Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty quickly called for the Senate to give the nominee a fair hearing and an up-or-down vote. However, Congresswoman Esty’s would-be Republican opponents – noted Trump denier Clay Cope and noted Trump apologist Matt Maxwell – have yet to clarify whether they believe Republicans in the Senate should do their job and hold hearings or continue down their current path of blind obstructionism.

So far in the race, Cope has shied away from taking positions on just about anything – other than a story that a campaign staffer heard from someone who talked to a bystander about Elizabeth Esty’s interaction with a town official.

And Maxwell has made his campaign about overcoming the special interest roadblocks to flying cars. Seriously.

But beyond their bluster are real questions that Mr. Cope and Mr. Maxwell need to answer if they want to be taken seriously as congressional candidates.

The Connecticut Democratic Party is also calling on GOP congressional candidates Daria Novak and John Shaban to weigh in on this critically important issue.

“Judge Garland is eminently qualified to be a Supreme Court justice. He was unanimously confirmed to the Court of Appeals, and he deserves a fair hearing at the very least. Yet Republicans in the Senate are pledging to reject even preliminary meetings with the nominee, with the intention of waiting for President Donald Trump to put forward his own nominee next year. The voters of the 5th Congressional District deserve to know whether their would-be congressmen would show leadership and encourage the Senate to take action or simply join the ranks of Republican obstructionists in Congress.” – Connecticut Democratic Party spokesman Leigh Appleby