Sen. Mike Lee says the decision is final: Senate Republicans won’t confirm anyone appointed by President Barack Obama to replace conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who died last month.

The Utah Republican says he would help block his own brother, a Utah Supreme Court justice, his ideological ally Sen. Rand Paul or even himself -- though Lee, a lawyer, says he would consider taking the job if it’s offered to him by President Ted Cruz.

Lee is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the body that serves as gatekeeper to full Senate consideration of federal court nominees, and like his 10 fellow Republicans on the 20-person committee has vowed to turn a deaf ear to anyone selected by the current president.

Obama presently is considering among three judges, according to many news reports, each of whom now serves on a federal appeals court: Judge Paul Watford of the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals and Judges Sri Srinivasan and Merrick Garland of the D.C. Circuit.

The men bring different potential demographic appeal. Srinivasan would be the court’s first-ever Asian American and first Hindu. Watford would become the second presently serving African-American justice. Garland would be the fourth current Jewish justice.

But Lee says he has no concern about critics characterizing Republicans as giving an unfair shake to a potentially ground-breaking appointee like Srinivasan, as “we’ve been really clear what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.”

“It’s immaterial in my book which one of them the president chooses,” he says. “The committee has already decided the American people need to have a voice in this decision in November by virtue of who they elect as the next president.”

Lee is best known nationally for supporting the civil liberties of Americans against what he views as intrusions on constitutional rights, but he says even an impressive judicial record would not warm his heart to an Obama appointee.

Lee declined to directly address Watford, author of appeals-level opinions that favored a church in a First Amendment roadside sign fight that reached the Supreme Court and backed a motel in a Fourth Amendment fight against warrantless guest list inspections.

It’s unclear if Republican unity will last, but there are signs that it might as moderates who once were willing to back a Democratic president’s judicial picks have become less pliable or retired.

Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., who voted for Obama nominee Sonia Sotomayor in 2009 -- though not for Elena Kagan in 2010 -- told reporters on Monday he saw no point even meeting with Obama’s forthcoming nominee, according to his spokesman Jim Jeffries.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who voted for both Sotomayor and Kagan, said at a recent hearing he supports the Republican plan to block an Obama nominee, believing whoever wins the election should decide, even if that’s Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton.

Graham is a member of the judiciary committee, and likely viewed as one of the key votes for Democrats to swing. Republican Sens. Orrin Hatch of Utah and Jeff Flake of Arizona, other potential committee swing votes, have stood by the party line so far.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, too, restated the position Tuesday, saying in an email voters should be able "to weigh in on whether our next Justice should apply the text of the Constitution," and that "Senate Republicans will ensure the American people aren’t denied this unique and historic opportunity."

Lee acknowledges voters don't exclusively consider Supreme Court picks when voting for president, but pooh-poohs the possibility of his Supreme Court plan backfiring if Donald Trump becomes the GOP nominee and loses big in November, dragging conservatives Senate candidates down with him.

Though some Republicans leaders are expressing concern about a Trump nomination handing victory to the Democratic presidential nominee, party leaders have expressed the same fear about Cruz, a Senate Judiciary Committee member presently running second to Trump.

Lee, who last week became the first sitting senator to endorse Cruz, won't say if he would vote for Trump, but professes to be unconcerned. “Ted Cruz is gaining momentum and he’s going to be the nominee," he says.