The top Democratic lawmaker on the New York state Senate Judiciary Committee is hopeful the process to nominate and confirm a new top judge for New York will go smoother than the saga earlier this year that faced Justice Hector LaSalle. 

"How could it not go smoother?" state Sen. Brad Hoylman said with a laugh when asked on Monday. 

But the response also subtly underscored the bruising weeks between Gov. Kathy Hochul's nomination of LaSalle to become the chief judge of the New York Court of Appeals, the opposition from labor unions and progressive advocates, the rejection by the state Senate Judiciary panel, a Republican-backed lawsuit to force a full floor and finally the nomination sinking in the Senate. 

On Friday, the commission charged with nominating potential candidates for the Court of Appeals released a list of seven names for Hochul to choose from and nominate in the coming weeks. 

LaSalle's nomination was the first time a chief judge candidate was voted down by the state Senate. For now, there's very little indication lawmakers, Hochul and the legal community want to see a second rejection this year. 

"I think it will be a smooth process," Hoylman said. "I have confidence based on the number of nominees that it will be a good selection that Democrats can coalesce behind and New Yorkers. It's really about New York."

Nominations to the Court of Appeals have in the past been typically low-key events on the calendar at the state Capitol. But a confluence of issues — from recent rulings at the court opposed by progressives as well as a conservative U.S. Supreme Court — have spurred deeper interest in the state's high court. 

Hoylman called the pending nomination "probably the most important of this governor's tenure in office. So, I'm hopeful she will choose accordingly."  

He added the slate of seven candidate is a "strong list. The governor has a lot of good choices before her." Hoylman declined to say whether Hochul or her office had reached out to discuss potential nominees. 

"We in the Senate look forward to helping her if she needs advice before her nomination or shortly thereafter," he said. "I think she knows we're an independent body that will not shy from raising our voices depending on who is chosen." 

State Senate Republicans, meanwhile, also signaled they would keep an open mind.  

"I have no doubt there will be a judge or two or maybe more our conference has real concerns with, but I'm hopeful there's a nominee on there who our conference could consider supporting," Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt said. 

And Republicans also kept open the possibility of once again suing to get a full floor vote if a nominee is again rejected by the Senate Judiciary Committee. 

"It's very clear it has to go to the floor, or we'll do the same thing again to ensure that it does," Ortt said.