The debate over a replacement for the late Justice Antonin Scalia marks the beginning of a ferocious battle for ideological control of the U.S. Supreme Court that could drag on for years and see the court swing multiple times between the political poles.

Groups on both sides of the political divide are raising money and marshaling political ammunition for a protracted fight over what kind of legal thinkers should sit on the nation’s highest court.

Civil rights groups, labor unions and environmentalists are preparing for a faceoff with a conservative coalition of social activists and business interests. Forces on both sides are conducting polls and focus groups and are mobilizing their members with online appeals. Conservatives are also researching the records of potential Obama nominees and preparing to launch attack ads as soon as the president makes a selection.

The Scalia vacancy technically gives Obama the chance to establish a liberal majority on the court for the first time in decades, but even if he manages to seat a new justice in the face of blanket GOP opposition, the victory could be fleeting.

Carrie Severino, chief counsel and policy director of the conservative Judicial Crisis Network, describes the fight over the court vacancy as “the opening act” in a broader struggle to prevent liberals from reasserting their influence over the nation’s legal system.

“Their sole goal is to cement liberal dominance over the Supreme Court. It’s incredibly high stakes,” said Severino, who clerked for Justice Clarence Thomas and whose group has already launched two separate, costly ad campaigns urging key Republicans and Democrats not to consider an Obama nominee to replace Scalia.

“We’ve been looking at the Supreme Court for some time, knowing these vacancies can come up,” she said, adding that her group has already spent more than $1 million in ads and has plenty in reserve to spend on an extended campaign.

Scalia’s death at age 79 shows the peril of making predictions about the court’s future, but the age range among the current justices would suggest that a Republican successor to Obama could have a greater impact on remaking the court than a Democrat, especially if Scalia’s seat stays vacant into the next administration. Simply put, the court’s liberal bloc is older and may offer more opportunities for replacement.

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The school board voted 4-3 to back the new approach late Tuesday, five years to the day after approving the initial voucher program. (The Denver Post)