By John Dempsey, WLS-AM News

(CHICAGO) Embattled Illinois Republican U.S. Senator Mark Kirk is in a no-win situation concerning the battle to replace the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

As a Republican representing the Democratic majority State of Illinois, Kirk risks angering moderate voters if he sides with Republican Senate leaders who don’t even want to hold a hearing on the person President Obama eventually chooses to replace Scalia.

However Kirk risks angering conservatives if he comes out in favor of a hearing, or if he votes for Obama’s choice.

So far Kirk has not said where he stands, other than to issue a statement praising Scalia’s legacy and calling discussions on the succession process “unseemly.”

Two of the Democrats running in next month’s primary for the right to face Kirk in November are already blasting him for his refusal to clarify his position.

Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth says Kirk must level with the people of Illinois, and says if he does not support a hearing for Obama’s choice, that makes Kirk, according to Duckworth, “a rubber stamp” for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s “obstructionist and unconstitutional gambit.”

Another Democrat seeking the seat, Andrea Zopp, accused Kirk of a “cop out” by not being more clear about his position.

Also Kirk’s Republican primary opponent James Marter issued a statement calling on Kirk to stand with Republicans who want to deny Obama a hearing on his choice.

Kirk’s fellow Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, told “The Big John Howell Show” on WLS, that he has no problem with holding a confirmation hearing for Obama’s choice.  “I have no problem.   I’m not in control of that process, you know?  If there’s a hearing, if somebody’s reported out of committee, and comes to the floor of the Senate, I’ll fulfill my constitutional duty and I’ll vote to confirm or not to confirm.”

However Johnson also says he would never vote for a Supreme Court nominee Obama nominated.   “If President Obama appoints a Justice Scalia clone, my guess is we confirm a Justice Scalia clone.   That’s not gonna happen.  We already know the type of justices he put on the court.   And so I doubt a liberal activist justice, judge, would be confirmed by the Senate.  And if we choose not to confirm either by not acting, or by voting that choice down, either way it’s an action.”

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