The Brian Sandoval nomination the White House floated last month to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia was short-lived. What the litmus test revealed is the strength of the GOP’s united front against any Obama nominee.

Weeks after the trial balloon, the Washington Post is reporting on a new strategy the Obama administration is hammering out. In particular, the White House is looking at a list of relatively fresh-faced federal judges who are considered ideologically neutral, and without a long judicial records.

Citing anonymous sources, the paper says President Obama believes that a sitting federal judge would be represent his best chance at getting the Senate confirmation hearings held for the vacant seat, even though Republicans on both sides of the aisle have stood by their position.

Guest: 

Amy Goldstein, DC reporter for the Washington Post who co-reported the piece looking at the federal judges the White House is considering for the vacant Supreme Court seat. She tweets from @goldsteinamy