Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerCruz blocks amended resolution honoring Ginsburg over language about her dying wish Senate Democrats introduce legislation to probe politicization of pandemic response Schumer interrupted during live briefing by heckler: 'Stop lying to the people' MORE (N.Y.) said Wednesday that it would be the “height of hypocrisy” for Republicans to vote on a nominee to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy before the November midterm elections.

Schumer said that 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.) should show consistency and respect for his own precedent by delaying Senate confirmation proceedings for Kennedy's successor until 2019, when a new Congress is seated.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Millions of people are just months away from determining the senators who should vote to confirm or reject the president’s nominee and their voices deserve to be heard,” Schumer said on the Senate floor.

He said “anything by that would be the absolute height of hypocrisy.”

Schumer: "Our Republican colleagues in the Senate should follow the rule they set in 2016: Not to consider a Supreme Court justice in an election year." (via ABC) pic.twitter.com/GC3JcxFUp7 — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) June 27, 2018

McConnell announced moments before that he plans for the Senate to vote in the fall on 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’s next Supreme Court nominee.

McConnell kept the late Justice Antonin Scalia's seat vacant for more than a year after he died in February 2016.

The GOP leader blocked a hearing and vote on Merrick Garland Merrick Brian GarlandPoll: 59 percent think president elected in November should name next Supreme Court justice Mark Kelly: Arizona Senate race winner should be sworn in 'promptly' Chief justice honors Ginsburg: 'When she spoke, people listened' MORE, President Obama’s nominee at the time, arguing that voters should weigh in during the 2016 presidential election on the ideological balance of the high court.

The move allowed Trump to nominate now-Justice Neil Gorsuch to the court shortly after taking office in 2017.