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Senate Republicans Aim To Block Liberal Obama Court Nominee

WASHINGTON (AP) — A liberal law school professor may become the first Obama administration judicial nominee to be defeated by the Senate.

Senators scheduled a vote Thursday on ending a Republican filibuster against appeals court nominee Goodwin Liu of the University of California.

A number of Republicans who earlier voted to end a filibuster against a district court nominee said they would not do so this time. It takes 60 votes to stop a filibuster and Democrats only have 53, including two independents.

Members of both parties have said the 40-year-old Liu is a brilliant legal scholar. He could be a future Supreme Court nominee. That's one reason why conservatives are fighting hard to stop his nomination, while liberals are lobbying for his confirmation.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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