May I call you Dan?

Dan, your vote is a very blunt instrument that you use once every few years. You vote for your senatorial candidates (if you're mature) on a whole host of issues, not just the one. After that, you either accept that you are at their mercy as to what or who they vote for in your Houses, or you kick up if you suspect that they are in danger of making a stupid decision, such as electing a creationist judge. You make a fuss and get a groundswell going in order to pressurise the fellow to not make the stupid decision. It's called living in a democracy. And, if I may say so, you have rather more faith in the integrity of your political nominations procedures than they probably deserve.