If Republicans were secretly hoping Barack Obama would nominate a liberal ideologue to the Supreme Court, then his choice of Sonia Sotomayor is likely to disappoint. First nominated to a senior judgeship in 1992 by a Republican president, George H.W. Bush, Ms Sotomayor’s views on social issues are considered to be relatively moderate.

But her allegedly expansive views on judicial activism – a traditional bugbear of constitutional “originalists” on the right – may still land Ms Sotomayor in trouble at her Senate confirmation hearings. Republicans are split on how hard to oppose her nomination.