(CHICAGO) Illinois Republican U.S. Senator Mark Kirk says his fellow Republicans should “man up” and vote one way or the other on President Obama’s Supreme Court Nominee Merrick Garland.

Kirk told “The Big John Howell Show” on WLS, “Just man up and cast a vote. The tough thing about these Senatorial jobs is you get yes or no votes. Your whole job is to either say yes or no, and explain why.”

LISTEN to Senator Kirk on the “Big” John Howell Show here.

Kirk is a top target of national Democrats in his November race against Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth. In an effort to appeal to independent voters in heavily Democratic Illinois, Kirk is distancing himself from his fellow Republicans who want to deny Garland a hearing. Kirk admits it is not likely that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will change his mind on the issue.

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