A conservative coalition has formed in Colorado to oppose President Barack Obama’s nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing the New York judge is a judicial activist who puts her “personal political agenda” above the rule of law.

“Sonia Sotomayor’s statement that a ‘wise Latina woman’ would generally make better decisions because of ‘the richness of her experiences’ than a white male reveals the extent to which political and personal agendas have supplanted the rule of law in selecting nominees,” former State Treasurer Mark Hillman said in a news release announcing the coalition. “Rule of law requires that laws be written, accessible, understandable and uniformly applied.”

Jim Pfaff, coordinator of the state anti-Sotomayor campaign, said it would lobby the Coloradans whose opinions of Sotomayor matter most: U.S. Sens. Mark Udall and Michael Bennet, who will vote on her confirmation.

Bennet told The Associated Press on Tuesday he will support her.

A spokeswoman for Udall said Tuesday that “he thinks she’s impressive” but has not made up his mind.

Other organizers of the Colorado anti-Sotomayor effort include John Andrews, former president of the state Senate; Jon Caldara, president of the Independence Institute, a conservative Colorado think tank; and Jeff Crank, state director of Americans for Prosperity.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy announced on Tuesday the Sotomayor confirmation hearing will begin July 13.

–

Contact the writer at 476-1654

John Pride, of Wichita, Kan., walked past a memorial outside Women’s Health Care Services in Wichita, Kan., on June 2. Photo by The Associated Press