Senator Charles Schumer admitted to NY1 today that the current political climate is cause for concern as President Barack Obama contemplates a replacement for outgoing Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens.

New York's senior Senator is one of the most influential lawmakers on Capitol Hill. When it came time for Obama to make his first appointment to the Supreme Court last year, Schumer was one of the earliest and strongest champions of Bronx native Sonia Sotomayor, who was eventually nominated and confirmed as the court's first Hispanic Supreme Court justice.

Now, with tensions running high following the health care battle, some Republicans are already vowing to block any nominee they feel is unfit for the country's highest court.

Although Schumer said he is convinced his colleagues will eventually support a competent nominee, he did admit to NY1's Elizabeth Kaledin that the current political climate is cause for concern.

"Justice Sotomayor who was clearly a progressive, but you know, she had a compelling life story and was amazing, did get a whole bunch of Republican votes," said Schumer. "Hopefully the same thing will happen here, but yeah, I'm worried."

The senator also spoke about the lengthy and often bitter health care debate, and credited the president on his persistence in getting the legislation passed.

Schumer said he feels that when the political rhetoric dies down, the vast majority of the bill's opponents will have a change of heart when they see the actual effect the legislation has on their own lives.

"As people learn the good, as the lies of the bad get dispelled, health care is going to be much more popular than it is today," said Schumer.

In his interview, the senator also talked about his colleague Kirsten Gillibrand, addressed the state of Albany politics and touted economic optimism in this time of layoffs and service cuts.