The right-leaning Wall Street Journal editorial board is warning Senate Republicans that any deal with Democrats that maintains their right to filibuster President Trump’s Supreme Court nominees would amount to “suicide.”
In an editorial published Thursday night, the paper said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is trying to set up the GOP for a loss on Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch and that Republicans will lose seats if they fail to get him confirmed.
“If Republicans blink and tolerate Democratic filibusters of High Court nominees,” the paper said, “they should hand over their majority to the Democrats now.”
Democratic leaders have indicated that they’re likely to deny Gorsuch the 60 votes needed to confirm him to the court, though some within the party have suggested a deal with the GOP in which they decline to filibuster this time but reserve the right to do so for a future nominee.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said, however, he is willing to change Senate rules so that only a simple majority vote is required to confirm Supreme Court nominees.
The Journal said the Republicans should rebuff any deal from Democrats and commit to changing the rules if needed.
“After the health-care fiasco, Republicans need to show Americans they can follow through on their governing promises,” it said. “If the GOP doesn’t want to squander its Senate majority, it will stay united and confirm Neil Gorsuch, even if it means breaking an unprecedented Senate filibuster.”
