Sen. Boozman says Trump or Cruz will be GOP nominee; only planning one Senate debate (Updated)

U.S. Sen. John Boozman expects either Donald Trump or Ted Cruz to be the GOP nominee, will wait until a new President is sworn in to consider a Supreme Court vacancy, and plans to only participate in one debate with his Democratic challenger this fall.

Appearing on this week’s edition of Talk Business & Politics, the Republican incumbent said he has no pick in the current GOP field, but doesn’t see an alternative to the two frontrunners – Trump or Cruz – winning a potential contested convention.

“I think if it’s very, very close, if Trump is almost there but not quite, I think the demand will be that it actually goes to him. If there’s some separation in there and Cruz is running a very tough, tight race, then it will come down between either Trump or Cruz,” said Boozman.

While a contested convention could occur, Boozman said he doesn’t expect an alternative candidate to Cruz or Trump garnering consideration.

“I don’t see an outsider riding on the white horse – somebody other than those two – I don’t think that’s going to happen,” he added.

SUPREME COURT NOMINEE
Boozman said while he met with federal judge Merrick Garland this week, he won’t consider President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee for the post at this time. Boozman said he subscribed to Senate leadership’s position and what he interpreted as previous precedent that there should not be a vote on the high court pick until a new president is sworn in.

Boozman said he would not only be opposed to considering the Supreme Court selection between now and November, but that he’d oppose a lame duck Congress weighing in on the choice.

If Republicans win the presidency, Boozman hopes for a “Scalia type” who would interpret “what the lawmakers’ intent was.” If Democrats were to hold the White House, Boozman indicated that he’d prefer a different nominee than Garland for the Supreme Court seat.

“I would oppose him in the sense that he’s far enough left – he’s not crazy left – but he’s far enough left that he would be a reliable vote with the four current liberal members on the Supreme Court now. So you’d have a fifth member that would always vote in lockstep like they always do and I think that would dramatically change the country,” said Boozman.

DEBATE WITH A DEMOCRAT
Boozman is being challenged this November by Democrat Conner Eldridge, a former U.S. attorney, and Frank Gilbert, the Libertarian nominee for U.S. Senate. Eldridge has challenged Boozman to five town hall-style debates around the state, but Boozman said he only plans to accept one debate for the fall.

“We’re planning on doing the AETN debate and that’s really it. What I’m going to do is do what I’ve always done is be amongst the people of Arkansas, answering their questions directly,” Boozman said.

When asked if he thought that would be sufficient for the election cycle, Boozman said, “I think that will be sufficient.”

UPDATE: The Eldridge for Senate campaign responded to Boozman’s decision to leave the debate schedule with only one.

“It’s ironic that Senator Boozman is refusing to participate in a series of public debates and town halls in Arkansas while standing 1,000 miles away in Washington. Our campaign’s request is simple: Senator – stop hiding in Washington and come home to face the voters directly by joining us in a series of debates,” Conner Eldridge said in a statement to Talk Business & Politics.

Sen. Boozman also weighed in on the Clean Line Energy controversy and funding tied to to alternative energy and the Federal Aviation Administration. You can watch Boozman’s full interview in the video below.