NEW YORK, NY July 14, 2009 —For some Latinos and members of the legal community, there's great excitement surrounding the Sonia Sotomayor confirmation hearings.

Carlos Vargas-Ramos is with the Centro de Estudios Puertoriquenos, at Hunter College. He says it feels "terrific" to see a fellow Latino as a nominee.

And speaking as a political scientist, he says the attempts of Republicans such as Senator Jeff Sessions to portray her as a judicial activist are not bearing fruit.

RAMOS: On the one hand they were afraid or perhaps they suspected she would be somebody shooting from the hip, judicially. When in fact she adheres very closely to not only established law but established precedent.

REPORTER: Vargas-Ramos says the hearing process signals to the country that Puerto Ricans are being further incorporated into the political system.