Democrats hope to turn up the pressure as Republican leaders are refusing to vote for a new SCOTUS

MILWAUKEE -- It's been nearly three months since the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Senate Republicans, including Ron Johnson, say there should not be a vote on a nominee until after the November election. Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin attended a Milwaukee rally on Friday, May 6th calling on Republicans to hold confirmation meetings.

"The idea that we would keep a vacant seat on the United States Supreme Court for a year is outrageous," said Baldwin.

Ron Johnson says it's clear to him, Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland would shift the balance of power on the Supreme Court in favor of liberal philosophy.

"He's certainly very open to the regulatory overreach of these agencies; he's got a record of that on the D.C. circuit. He also has a record of being hostile, from my viewpoint, of our second amendment right to bear arms," said Johnson.

Merrick Garland

Johnson says deciding who gets to select the next Supreme Court Justice should be part of the choice voters face in November. His opponent, former U.S. Senator Russ Feingold, says voters made that choice in 2012 with the reelection of President Barack Obama.

"What we have here is game-playing. Senator Johnson has specifically said he wants the people to decide, which is a joke, people already have decided," said Feingold.

"Why not have that conversation you're talking about in a set of hearings where you can have these arguments presented in front of the people, on the record? It's not necessary. We know what his background is. He would obviously flip the court from what was a 5-4 conservative majority to a 5-4 super-legislator majority -- so we know his record," said Johnson.

"I think just the opposive of what he's saying -- that if we have hearing the groundswell will be incredible," said Baldwin.

Baldwin hopes to pressure Johnson by using a billboard across the state. Johnson says he's committed to hitting the brakes on any effort to confirm Garland.

It's been 51 days since President Obama nominated Merrick Garland.

The longest a Supreme Court nominee has had to wait for a vote in the Senate? 125 days for Louis Brandeis, 100 years ago -- back in 1916.