Harriet Miers’ decision to ask President Bush to withdraw her nomination for a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court gives Bush his third opportunity in a year to make a selection to the nation’s highest court.

“I hope President Bush will again give serious consideration to selecting a woman to fill this vacancy,” U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham said in a statement Thursday.

The South Carolina Republican, who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, added that “there are many well-qualified, strict constructionists who would serve our nation well on the court.”

And he has one in mind: Orangeburg native and current 4th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Karen J. Williams.

“Sen. Graham previously mentioned her as an excellent choice for the Supreme Court... that position has not changed,” Graham spokesman Kevin Bishop said Thursday.

Indeed, as Graham made the rounds of national TV networks — including Fox and MSNBC — Thursday, he mentioned Williams as a potential candidate.

For Williams, it must seem like deja vu all over again.

In July, media outlets including the Washington Post, the Washington Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Weekly Standard, CBS-TV and Fox News named her as a possible successor to Sandra Day O’Connor, who plans to retire.

Bush instead nominated John Roberts.

But then Chief Justice William Rehnquist died and Bush nominated Roberts for the position of chief justice. Congress, citing Roberts’ credentials, quickly confirmed him.

But who, then, would succeed O’Connor?

“I know (Williams) is seriously being considered for the Supreme Court,” Graham told The T&D in late September. “(She) brings the experience and knowledge base required to be on the Supreme Court.”

However, Bush nominated Miers, his personal lawyer — a pick that ignited continuing criticism even from his base of conservative Republicans.

With Miers’ withdrawal on Thursday, it’s back to the drawing board for Bush.

Graham has said Williams has solid conservative views and is well-respected by people of both political parties.

State Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, who practiced law with Williams from 1982 until 1992, has said she is “fair-minded ... smart ... extremely thoughtful and meticulous” and would be “an excellent Supreme Court judge.”

In 1992, the late U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond, a conservative Republican, nominated Williams to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Richmond, Va. Williams also maintains an office in Orangeburg.

Miers is “an able lawyer and a role model for many young women” and “was a fine nominee for the Supreme Court,” Graham said in a statement Thursday. “Many of the criticisms leveled against her were off-base and some were not respectful of the life she lived. She broke many glass ceilings and deserves credit for her many accomplishments,” he said.

But she had legitimate concerns about the upcoming fight over access to White House documents, he said.

“When the president appoints his lawyer to the Supreme Court, the Senate is going to want to know how she conducted herself as his counsel. Sensing this divide would be a difficult one to overcome, she decided to put the interests of the president above her own personal interests. I applaud her for making this tough decision and her willingness to serve her country,” Graham said.

South Carolina’s other U.S. senator, Republican Jim DeMint, issued a statement Thursday saying he respects Miers’ decision to withdraw from consideration.

“She has had an impressive legal career, and I trust she will continue to serve the president with distinction,” DeMint said.

“We must now wait for the president to select another nominee. I trust that he will nominate a highly qualified individual who will strictly interpret the law, not legislate from the bench,” he said.

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