A top Senate Democrat doesn’t expect enough Democrats to vote in favor of ending debate on Judge Neil Gorsuch’s appointment to the Supreme Court to give President Trump’s pick for the nation’s highest court a smooth path to the bench, and said Republicans may have to use the “nuclear option” to get the vote through.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said on CNN Wednesday he doesn’t see eight Democratic votes willing to side with Republicans to move forward on Gorsuch’s appointment. Senate rules require 60 votes to end debate on Supreme Court appointments before a final majority-rule vote can be taken.
“At this point, I don’t believe eight Democrats are supporting Judge Gorsuch,” the Senate minority whip said. “But, Chuck Schumer has told us let’s wait until the hearing is over, let’s do this professionally, let’s do this responsibly.”
That leaves Republicans in the possible position of having to use the nuclear option of removing the 60-vote rule to end debate and making it a simple majority vote.
Durbin praised Gorsuch as having a strong background and history of public service. He added that Gorsuch is “smooth and folksy and personable,” which works well during hearings.
But that doesn’t mean he’ll vote for him because Durbin isn’t sure Gorsuch can be fully independent of the Trump administration. Durbin said he didn’t totally believe Gorsuch’s statements that he would not end Roe v. Wade, which is something Trump said he would require of a Supreme Court pick during the campaign.
“I’ll withhold my final judgment until this hearing is over,” Durbin said.
