They wont have a choice. They will have to accept a liberal or risk getting the American public angry with their stalling or with the next President being Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton. They may be out of options. Their best best is for Obama to chose someone and maybe when Ruth goes they'll get to pick someone. Obama may feel pressure to nominate someone slightly moderate but if the next president is democrat then Republicans maybe screwed because they may be getting someone super liberal. Let's face it democrats won the popular vote 3 out of the last 4 elections. There is no Scalia to protect them from the outcome of the voters and vice versa if things go the other way around. It's best for both Obama and Republicans to pick someone now and make as little hay out of this as possible.
I don't think they're looking that much into it, they will use it as an opportunity to taunt that we need another "originalist" to respect Scalia's legacy.
The people who put them in office very already agree with their obstructionism, but if this makes Democrats regain the majority on both chambers (60 in the Senate would be amazing) the next Democratic president has no excuse to get **** done and we will rejoice in the fact that it was the death of a conservative zealot that completely liberated the country.
i feel bad for his family and i don't think we should celebrate his death publicly for their sake, but it's pretty hard for me to feel bad for him specifically.
but this actually has some pretty major political implications, especially since the next president is going to appoint at least 1 (maybe 2? i forgot) supreme court justice. i don't really know what's going to happen now.
