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WASHINGTON (AP) -- A GOP senator said Thursday he will use hearings on Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court to ask whether she intends to be a justice "for all of us, or just for some of us."

With the Judiciary Committee set to open hearings July 13, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas said Sotomayor must explain whether she believes in colorblind justice in light of a 2001 speech in which she said she hoped a "wise Latina" usually would reach better decisions than a white man without similar life experiences.

Cornyn's comments came as Republicans step gingerly in the debate over President Barack Obama's first high court nominee. Sotomayor would be the first Hispanic and the third woman to serve on the court.

Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, the top Republican on the committee, has criticized Obama's criteria for a judge and argued that liberals are destroying the rule of law by picking judges who will bring their own feelings and politics to the bench. On Wednesday, Sessions spoke about the nation's founders while avoiding invoking Sotomayor's name in his remarks.

Cornyn, also a committee member, was more pointed Thursday, questioning Sotomayor's stance on gun rights, property rights and discrimination.

In singling out her "wise Latina" comment, the senator said he wasn't faulting Sotomayor for honoring her background.

"There's no problem if Judge Sotomayor was simply showing pride in her heritage, as we all should as a nation of immigrants. But if it suggests a judicial philosophy that says because of sex or race or ethnicity that a judge is better qualified or more likely to reach better legal decisions, I simply do not understand that contention, and I would like the opportunity to ask her about it," Cornyn said.

Sotomayor "will be given an opportunity to clarify her comments, and let us know whether she intends to be a Supreme Court justice for all of us, or just for some of us."

Cornyn said he also wants to press Sotomayor about what he called a "troubling" decision relating to gun rights. She joined in a ruling that said the Second Amendment protecting the right to bear arms only applied to the federal government -- not states.

It was based on a Supreme Court precedent that has yet to be revisited. Gun rights activists are trying mightily to get Sotomayor to weigh in, though nominees in her position virtually never do so.

"Americans need to know whether we can count on Judge Sotomayor to uphold all of the Bill of Rights -- including the Second Amendment," Cornyn said.

He said Sotomayor would have to answer questions about a decision the justices are reviewing in which she ruled against white firefighters on a claim of reverse discrimination.

Sotomayor held more Capitol Hill meetings with senators Thursday as she prepares for the hearings.

Members of both parties, as well as outside interest groups, are competing to define Sotomayor. The interest groups are using the fight to raise money and press their agendas.

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