[Rummyfan]

...the absolute importance of having a republican president appoint judges through a republican Congress.

We had a Republican President Bush and a Republican Senate and we still couldn't get judges approved (see Miguel Estrada).

[Let_It_Be_So]

“We had a Republican President Bush and a Republican Senate and we still couldn’t get judges approved (see Miguel Estrada).”

To your point, we need a minimum of 51 conservatives in the Senate as opposed to a minimum of 51 Republicans. Basically, we need to take over the Senate with conservative Republicans (or Independents?) in such numbers that conservative positions would prevail, even with a handful of liberal/moderate Republicans voting with the Democrats as they always do (eg Graham, Collins, McCain, etc). I’m thinking a 65-35 ratio would do the trick.

Wishful thinking? Probably so, sadly.