PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine’s two U.S. senators are withholding judgment on President Obama’s nomination of federal appeals judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court, while praising the choice of a Hispanic woman and the nominee’s background.

Republican Olympia Snowe pointed Tuesday to the historic nature of the selection, noting that Sotomayor is just the third woman nominated to the court and the first Hispanic-American.

Snowe recalled having urged Obama during a one-on-one meeting in the Oval Office earlier this month to name a well-qualified woman to the court.

Susan Collins, also a Republican, said Sotomayor has “a compelling life story and a long record of judicial service.” She said she looks forward to a timely and fair confirmation process.