Seconds after Obama named U.S. Appeals Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor as his choice to replace retiring Associate Justice David Souter, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Republicans would treat the nominee fairly, but would closely examine her record.

"We will thoroughly examine her record to ensure she understands that the role of a jurist in our democracy is to apply the law even-handedly, despite their own feelings or personal or political preferences," McConnell said.

Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., the number two ranking Senate Republican quickly followed saying the nominee should be "neither pre-confirmed nor prejudged."

Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., said he looked forward to ensuring that Sotomayor "has the qualifications and temperament necessary" to be the next Supreme Court justice.

Shelby doesn't sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee which will hold the confirmation hearings, but the entire Senate must vote Sotomayor's confirmation.

Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, a moderate Republican congratulated Obama for "nominating a well qualified woman."

In his announcement, Obama said he hoped Sotomayor would be on the bench by the time the Court's fall term begins.

Senate Republicans are going to have a difficult time attempting to block Sotomayor's nomination to the High Court.

The Democrats control 59 seats in the Senate, and this could increase to a 60-seat supermajority by the time a confirmation vote occurs if Al Franken ultimately defeats Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., in that state's still-contested Senate race.

Sen. Arlen Specter changed parties this spring, leaving the Republicans for the Democratic majority, giving them their 59th seat. He had been the senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee and would have led the GOP scrutiny of Sotomayor.

Tuesday, he said he "applauded" Obama's choice.

"Her confirmation would add needed diversity in two ways: the first Hispanic and the third woman to serve on the high court," Specter said.

The fact that Sotomayor is the first Hispanic to be nominated to the Supreme Court would make any challenge to her being confirmed politically difficult for Republicans.

Given the increasingly large proportion of the voting electorate that Hispanic Americans account for, it would be difficult for the GOP to oppose her selection.

In November's presidential election, Obama made double-digit gains among Hispanic voters compared to Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., in the 2004 election.

That didn't stop conservative groups from quickly noting their opposition to Sotomayor's nomination.

"Judge Sotomayor is a liberal judicial activist of the first order who thinks her own personal political agenda is more important that the law as written," said Wendy E. Long, counsel to the Judicial Confirmation Network, a coalition of conservative groups.

Hispanic groups on the other hand greeted Sotomayor's nomination warmly.

"Judge Sotomayor is an outstanding nominee with three decades of judicial experience who will be a brilliant Supreme Court justice who serves the nation well," the League of United Latin American Citizens said in a statement.