A week has passed since the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, and controversy on whether or not President Barack Obama should make a nomination shows no signs of letting up. Presidential candidates for both the Republican and Democratic nominations continue to spar over making a nomination to the highest court in the land. On Wednesday Senator Joni Ernst visited Washington High School for question and answer sessions with government students. She told KCII News, she believes the process must be taken one step at a time. She also agrees with fellow Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley that this Presidential election should decide who makes the next Supreme Court nomination and not Obama.

The longest the Supreme Court bench has ever gone without having all nine members was 391 days in 1970. If Ernst and Senate Republicans wait, this vacancy could prove to be among the longest in our nation’s history. President Obama currently has 334 days left in office and says he will make a nomination.