Sen. Susan Collins says the president and the Senate should take the appointment of a successor to Justice Antonin Scalia "one step at a time."

Susan Collins
Susan Collins
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The Maine Republican said last week that it was premature to discuss a successor before Scalia's funeral, which happened over the weekend.

She now says that "we should follow the regular order" that includes a nomination by President Barack Obama and a hearing by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Collins said it's not unusual to have tension over judicial nominees.

She was one of 14 senators who helped to break a logjam over judicial nominees from then-President Bush in 2005. She also pointed out that Obama as a senator tried to block the nomination of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, who was nominated by Bush.

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