WASHINGTON—The Senate moved on Tuesday toward ramming through approval of President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee this week, as its top Republican said he had the votes to wipe away Democratic roadblocks but vowed to preserve the minority party’s ability to hold up legislation.
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell plans to change the Senate’s long-standing rules in order to eliminate the ability to use a procedural hurdle called a filibuster against Supreme Court nominees like Trump’s pick, Neil Gorsuch, if a Democratic filibuster succeeds as expected in blocking a confirmation vote.
Senate confirmation of Gorsuch, 49, to the lifetime post would restore the court’s conservative majority and enable Trump to leave a lasting imprint on America’s highest judicial body.
McConnell said he had the necessary votes to approve the rule change with a simple majority vote, expected on Thursday. Republicans control the Senate 52-48. The rule change has been dubbed the “nuclear option,” and Trump has encouraged McConnell to “go nuclear.”
Such a step would threaten to further erode trust between the parties in Congress.
