For the first time in 11 years, there is a vacancy on the Supreme Court. On Friday, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor announced her resignation. In 1981 she became the first woman to serve on the country’s highest court. President Bush could announce a nominee as early as next week. A battle has already begun in Washington over O’Connor’s replacement both between liberal and conservative groups as well as within the conservative movement. The Washington Post reports that political groups could spend as much as $100 million in the lead up to the Senate confirmation vote. On the divided court, O’Connor often cast the deciding decision. She voted to uphold the landmark abortion decision Roe vs. Wade. She also ruled to overturn sodomy laws, uphold affirmative action and against the death penalty in many instances. In 2000 she ruled in Bush v. Gore to stop all presidential recounts thus giving President Bush the White House. For President Bush, this might become the first of three seats he fills over the next three years. It had been widely speculated that Chief Justice William Rehnquist would retire this year. It is also considered likely that the court’s oldest member — the 85-year-old John Paul Stevens — will retire before Bush’s term ends.