New Jersey Gov. Christie did something Monday that he has only been able to do once before in his four years in office: He moved a Supreme Court nominee through the Democratic-controlled Legislature.

The state Legislature unanimously confirmed Cuban-born Faustino Fernandez-Vina, a Camden County Superior Court judge, to replace Justice Helen Hoens.

"Here's an individual who was born in another country, under a Communist regime, who came here with his family, who taught himself the language, who put himself through school, who put himself through law school," said State Sen. Kevin O'Toole, a Republican, on the senate floor.

The support for Fernandez-Vina contrasted with the way Democrats have clashed with Christie on Supreme Court nominees. Stalemates over nominees have been perhaps the biggest flashpoint between Democrats and the Republican governor through his term, with Democratic legislators calling most of his previous nominees unqualified and overly conservative. Only one of Christie's previous picks have been confirmed, and two of the seven seats on the Supreme Court lack permanent justices.

But Fernandez-Vina is a Republican who was chosen to replace Justice Helen Hoens, a Republican whom Christie did not reappoint. Since a Republican replaced a Republican, the Democrats were comfortable with the pick, said Democratic Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Nicholas Scutari.

"We want to maintain a political balance on the court," Scutari said. "We're not going to let the court get hijacked and have all Republicans sit on the court. Just like we wouldn't want to see it all be all Democrats."

Two of Christie's other nominees have yet to even get a hearing, and Scutari refused to say when, or if, that will happen.