President Trump says process to replace Kennedy on Supreme Court will 'begin immediately'

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he would move quickly to nominate a replacement for Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, who announced that he will retire on July 31.

Trump told reporters the process would "begin immediately ."

The president said he would review an existing list of candidates for the opening. The list was put together to fill the seat now held by Justice Neil Gorsuch. It was developed in consultation with conservative legal scholars.

"It will be somebody from that list," Trump said.

The retirement of Kennedy, who turns 82 next month, gives Trump the chance to further cement the court’s conservative bent. Kennedy, appointed by President Ronald Reagan, has been a swing vote on issues like abortion and affirmative action to gay rights and capital punishment. Trump has made clear he wants to nominate justices with staunch conservative credentials.

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Opinion:Anthony Kennedy retirement latest reason Democrats risk losing Supreme Court for generations

Republicans have a 51-seat majority now, giving them the ability to withstand Democratic opposition. The traditional 60-vote threshold for high court nominees was abolished last April when Democrats threatened to block Gorsuch’s confirmation, prompting Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell to push through a rules change allowing justices to be confirmed with simple majority votes.

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