Sad to say, on many, many issues, replacing O'Conner with even a solid conservative will NOT change the makeup of the USSC - but will only maintain the status quo. Replacing Rehnquist - ditto. Stevens or Souter or Ginsberg must leave the court it to have a chance of becoming conservative or originalist in any major respect.
A conservative now will be a mere "holding action".
Right. Just the first step.
Not true -- Sandra Day O'Connor was not conservative on abortion!