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Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor won her first public, Republican vote of approval on Friday from Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.).

Sotomayor is "clearly qualified to serve on the Supreme Court," Lugar said, adding that she showed "a judicial temperament" during her confirmation hearings, the Associated Press reports.

Lugar previously voted to confirm Sotomayor to her current spot on a federal appeals court.

It is likely other Republicans will declare their support for the nominee, after Senate Republicans yesterday announced that they do not intend to block her confirmation. After four days of Senate Judiciary Committee hearings, ranking Republican committee member Sen. Jeff Sessions (Ala.) said yesterday he would not support any effort to filibuster her nomination, meaning she only needs an easily-obtainable 50 Senate votes to become the first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice.

Two Republicans so far, Senators James Inhofe of Oklahoma and Jim Bunning of Kentucky, have said they intend to vote against her nomination. The party faces the tricky task of appeasing conservative constituents opposed to President Obama's first Supreme Court pick without alienating Hispanice voters, the fastest-growing group of voters in the country.

Democrats have scheduled a committee vote for Tuesday and are planing for a final confirmation vote before the Senate breaks for its August recess.

The ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee sees no reason for the United States to intervene in the Iranian presidential election dispute at this time.

"Our position is to allow the Iranians to work out their situation," Richard Lugar, R-Ind., told The Early Show Tuesday.

Iran's powerful Guardian Council said Tuesday it could order limited vote recounts in the contest between President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who reportedly won in a landslide, and opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi.

Asked if this was a sign of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's grip on Iran slipping, Lugar said the Ayatollah was more likely recognizing the frustration of the country's youth.

"Lightening up may be useful," Lugar said of Khamenei.

You can watch the video of Lugar below: