If all of the President’s currently pending circuit court nominees are confirmed, 11 of the 13 circuits will tilt "right," i.e., have a majority of Republican appointees. I don't know which the two leftovers are ("left"-overs--ha, I kill me!), but I'd guess the 9th and the DC circuit.
Judge Terrence Boyle (4th Circuit)
William Haynes (4th Circuit)
Justice Priscilla Owen (5th Circuit)
Judge David McKeague (6th Circuit)
Judge Susan Neilson (6th Circuit)
Judge Henry Saad (6th Circuit)
Judge Richard Griffin (6th Circuit)
William Myers (9th Circus)
Judge William Pryor (11th Circuit)
Justice Janice Brown (DC Circuit)
Brett Kavanaugh (DC Circuit)
Thomas Griffith (DC Circuit)
8 District Court nominees:
Paul Crotty (Southern District of New York)
James Dever (Eastern District of North Carolina)
Robert Conrad (Western District of North Carolina)
Judge Thomas Ludington (Eastern District of Michigan)
Judge Daniel Ryan (Eastern District of Michigan)
Judge Sean Cox (Eastern District of Michigan)
Michael Seabright (District of Hawaii)
Peter Sheridan (District of New Jersey)
Got the names from a good link: http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:mkIC_NivPVUJ:www.techlawjournal.com/topstories/2004/20041223.asp+bush+nominates+to+the+6th+Circuit&hl=en&client=firefox-a
I think you have just demonstrated the real reason these nominees are being opposed.
It is a balance of power issue.
When Rehnquist retires, there will not be must trouble with his replacement. That will simply be maintaing the current balance. Nor will the chief justice really cause much difficulty....again...it would simply be a replacement conservative.
However, when O'Conner quits all heck's gonna break loose.
This is the same dynamic, apparently, that's taking place on these circuits. The balance of power is changing.