While Attorney General Eric Holder had made clear that he wanted to leave the post before the end of Obama 's second term , the announcement of his departure just before midterm elections took many by surprise and the timing could complicate the effort to replace him . Choosing a new attorney general and getting approval in a Senate confirmation hearing will be difficult for the White House . While the list of strong candidates who could assume the role is long , congressional politics will make it difficult to get Senate approval for just about anyone . Plus , while he has endured his share of controversies , Holder is also President Barack Obama 's very close friend and confidant , someone for whom the President consistently communicated his full support . `` We have been great colleagues , but the bonds between us are much deeper than that , '' Holder said Thursday in a joint statement with Obama , announcing his departure . `` I 'm proud to call you my friend . '' When a replacement might be announced is unknown . Obama thanked Holder for his service Thursday but offered no timeline for announcing a nominee to replace him . Holder pledged to stay on the job until a nominee is selected and confirmed by the Senate , and in doing that , he might have agreed to stay on for a while longer . Who could replace Holder as attorney general ? The Senate is the biggest obstacle . Holder 's announcement comes just weeks before the midterm elections , in which Republicans have a solid chance of reclaiming the majority . Congress , currently on recess while members campaign for re-election , will have a lame duck session in November and December in which a confirmation hearing could be pushed through . But Congress will have a lot on its plate during that session , most notably a possible vote to expand Obama 's authority to execute his military offensive against ISIS . It 's possible that a confirmation hearing will take place in the next Congress , in 2015 , when Republicans could be in control . White House officials insisted they were n't concerned about this possibility . `` I do anticipate that Democrats will hold the Senate , '' White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters Thursday . `` That said , I also anticipate that whoever the nominee is will earn and ultimately receive bipartisan support . '' But in the current political climate , bipartisan support is far from certain for any administration appointee , particularly one as high profile as Holder 's replacement . The other issue is less tactical -- it 's the personal factor . Obama and Holder are good friends , and Holder is a part of the Obama inner circle that includes key adviser Valerie Jarrett , whom Holder thanked Thursday as someone who he had `` been fortunate to work with since the beginning of what started as an improbable , idealistic effort by a young senator from Illinois . '' Furthermore , the issues that Holder has championed -- voting rights , LGBT rights and reducing prison sentences for low-level drug offenders -- are important aspects of Obama 's legacy , so this pick will , in all likelihood , be an incredibly important one for him . Obama gave no hints about possible replacements in his goodbye remarks to Holder , offering only a tidbit of what he 's looking for in an attorney general : `` I chose him to serve as attorney general because he believes , as I do , that justice is not just an abstract theory -- it 's a living and breathing principle . ''
Attorney General Eric Holder announced his resignation Thursday . Holder is a close friend of President Obama . November elections could complicate the nomination and confirmation process . TL;DR The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold hearings on Wednesday to consider Obama's nominee for attorney general.