With the death last month of U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Richard Arnold of Arkansas, bench-watchers say the reaction of Senate Democrats to the President's choice of a successor to Arnold will determine whether they want to continue the "judicial wars" started by defeated Democratic Senate Leader Tom Daschle (S.D.). Mentioned as possible candidates to replace Arnold are Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Asa Hutchinson, former U.S. Attorney Chuck Banks, and U.S. District Judge Levinsky Smith, an African-American.
