Sen. Lisa Murkowski Lisa Ann MurkowskiClub for Growth to spend million in ads for Trump Supreme Court nominee Pebble Mine CEO resigns over secretly recorded comments about government officials Maryland's GOP governor says Republicans shouldn't rush SCOTUS vote before election MORE (R-Alaska) said Wednesday that she would carefully examine any nominee President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE chooses to replace Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy hours after he announced his retirement.

In a statement, Murkowski called Kennedy's retirement a "historic moment" for the nation's highest court.

"[Kennedy's] retirement is a historic moment for the court because he was the swing vote in so many decisions of great consequence. I think he held the court together and did right by the Constitution," she said.

My statement on Justice Kennedy announcing his retirement: pic.twitter.com/svr3dbWUi6 — Sen. Lisa Murkowski (@lisamurkowski) June 27, 2018

Murkowski, along with GOP Sen. Susan Collins Susan Margaret CollinsClub for Growth to spend million in ads for Trump Supreme Court nominee Maryland's GOP governor says Republicans shouldn't rush SCOTUS vote before election The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - GOP closes ranks to fill SCOTUS vacancy by November MORE (Maine), is expected to have significant influence over the Senate confirmation fight for Trump's nominee.

"My standards for Supreme Court nominees are extremely high," Murkowski continued. "It is my longstanding practice to carefully scrutinize the qualifications of judicial nominees and to cast an independent vote when judicial nominations come before the Senate."

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"There is no doubt that the President’s nominee to succeed Justice Kennedy can expect exacting scrutiny from the Senate and that is the standard I will apply in evaluating the nominee.”

Murkowski's statement came hours after Kennedy announced his retirement, setting up Trump for the second Supreme Court nomination of his presidency.

Though Trump has not yet announced his pick to replace Kennedy, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellFEC flags McConnell campaign over suspected accounting errors Poll: 59 percent think president elected in November should name next Supreme Court justice Mark Kelly: Arizona Senate race winner should be sworn in 'promptly' MORE (R-Ky.) said Wednesday that the Senate would vote on the eventual nominee before November's midterm elections.

“We will vote to confirm Justice Kennedy’s successor this fall,” he said.

Trump told reporters that he met with Kennedy Wednesday afternoon to discuss potential replacements. The White House published a list of 25 candidates in November.