Here's a power play scenario by which Obama could force his pick through before he leaves office if a Republican wins the Whitehouse. It would require that the Democrats retake the Senate. It would be very ironic if Republican senators get ousted because of their obstructionism over Obama's pick and those ousters allow the President to pick Scalia's replacement anyway.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein