Merrick Garland, former President Barack Obama Barack Hussein ObamaGOP senator blocks Schumer resolution aimed at Biden probe as tensions run high D-Day for Trump: September 29 Obama says making a voting plan is part of 'how to quarantine successfully' MORE’s Supreme Court nominee, is gaining an unlikely ally: Senate Republicans.

A pair of Utah lawmakers, Sens. Mike Lee Michael (Mike) Shumway LeeMcConnell shores up GOP support for coronavirus package McConnell tries to unify GOP Davis: The Hall of Shame for GOP senators who remain silent on Donald Trump MORE and Orrin Hatch Orrin Grant HatchBottom line Bottom line Senate GOP divided over whether they'd fill Supreme Court vacancy MORE, are urging the White House to include Garland’s name in the search for the next FBI director after President Trump fired James Comey on Tuesday night.

“I suggested that [the White House] ought to consider him,” Hatch told reporters on Thursday. “I didn’t say they should just pick him. I know they’ve got some really excellent people, but I said put Merrick in the list too.”

Lee separately floated on Twitter that instead of naming a special prosecutor for the FBI’s investigation into Russia’s meddling in the presidential election Trump should “nominate Merrick Garland to replace James Comey.”

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The GOP pitch to make Garland the nation’s top law enforcement officer is a reversal from last year, when Republicans refused to give him a hearing or a vote to join the Supreme Court. The move infuriated Democrats and allowed Trump to quickly appoint a justice after taking office.

But Hatch argued on Thursday that the Republican blockade was never about Garland, but rather was about keeping the Supreme Court out of election-year politics.

“Merrick Garland is a very fine fellow. There’s never been an issue with Merrick Garland,” he told reporters. “Merrick is a very fine man. I like Merrick.”

But Lee’s public pitch sparked skepticism from some Democrats.

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) tweeted an “It’s a trap!” Star Wars GIF in response, adding: “On Merrick Garland for FBI head, this seems...unserious.”

But Conn Carroll, a spokesman for Lee, said the GOP senator's suggestion is serious and added that he pitched Garland after an unrelated meeting at the White House on tax reform.

"He's eminently qualified and has the reputation needed to restore public confidence in FBI," Carroll told The Hill, when asked why Lee would suggest Garland.

Carroll added on Twitter that Garland "has extensive prosecutorial experience including overseeing the OKC bombing investigation."

Garland, then working for the Department of Justice, helped oversee the investigation and prosecution of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.

Whoever succeeds Comey — whom Trump fired Tuesday — would be responsible for overseeing the FBI's investigation into Russia's meddling in last year's presidential election and any possible connections between members of Trump's campaign and Moscow.

Sen. Lindsey Graham Lindsey Olin GrahamSenate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden Loeffler calls for hearing in wake of Netflix's 'Cuties' Quinnipiac poll shows Graham, Harrison tied in South Carolina Senate race MORE (R-S.C.), who like Hatch and Lee is a member of the Judiciary Committee, also backed the idea of Garland being on the list of candidates for FBI director.

“Put me on that list of floaters. I like that. I think he's a good guy,” he said asked about Hatch’s and Lee’s idea.

Graham said he hadn’t spoken to the White House to formally pitch Garland but is “thumbs up” about the former Obama nominee potentially succeeding Comey.

Nominating Garland would likely be an easy way to win over Democrats, who overwhelmingly supported his Supreme Court nomination, amid the lingering political fallout over Comey's firing.

However, Trump’s FBI nominee could technically clear the Senate without any Democratic support. Under a rule change in 2013, executive branch nominees only need a simple majority to be approved and Republicans have 52 seats.

But not every GOP senator was sold on the concept of Garland becoming the next FBI director.

“I’ve heard the rumor but, as far as I know it’s just a rumor,” Sen. John Cornyn John CornynSenate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden Hillicon Valley: DOJ indicts Chinese, Malaysian hackers accused of targeting over 100 organizations | GOP senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal | QAnon awareness jumps in new poll Republican Senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal MORE (R-Texas), the Senate’s No. 2 Republican, said.

Sen. Chuck Grassley Charles (Chuck) Ernest GrassleySenate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden Senators offer disaster tax relief bill Trump spikes political football with return of Big Ten season MORE (R-Iowa) declined to comment, noting, “I’m going to wait until I see a bunch of names.”

If Trump nominated Garland, his move would open up a seat on the powerful D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, allowing the president to fill that vacancy.

Sen. Roy Blunt Roy Dean BluntOn The Money: Trump undercuts GOP, calls for bigger COVID-19 relief package | Communities of color hit hardest financially by COVID-19 | Businesses, states pass on Trump payroll tax deferral Trump undercuts GOP, calls for bigger COVID-19 relief package Businesses, states pass on Trump payroll tax deferral MORE (R-Mo.), a member of GOP leadership, pointed to that potential vacancy as a potential boost to the idea.

“It would also create a vacancy in the important D.C. Circuit, so maybe I like it better the more I think about it,” he told the Associated Press.

Asked about his colleagues support for Garland, Sen. John McCain John Sidney McCainKelly's lead widens to 10 points in Arizona Senate race: poll COVID response shows a way forward on private gun sale checks Trump pulls into must-win Arizona trailing in polls MORE (R-Ariz.) — a close Senate ally of Graham — said, “I don’t agree. “

Instead, McCain said he would like to see former Sen. Kelly Ayotte Kelly Ann AyotteBottom line Bottom line Bottom Line MORE (R-N.H.) become FBI director but added that he hadn’t floated the idea to the White House.

Ayotte, who was New Hampshire’s attorney general before joining the Senate, lost her reelection bid last year to Democrat Maggie Hassan.

After leaving office, Ayotte helped guide Justice Neil Gorsuch’s nomination through the Senate earlier this year.

Though her name has been floated as a potential successor for Comey, a source close to the former lawmaker told CNN that she hasn’t heard from the White House.

Trump told The New York Times late last year that he was passing on giving Ayotte a job in his administration because she didn’t support him during the election.

“She’d love to have a job in the administration, I said, ‘No, thank you,’” Trump said at the time. “She refused to vote for me.”