Republicans Confident Democrats Won’t be Able to Block Gorsuch’s Confirmation

Veronica Neffinger | iBelieve Contributor | Updated: Mar 29, 2017

Republicans Confident Democrats Won’t be Able to Block Gorsuch’s Confirmation

Judge Neil Gorsuch, President Trump’s nominee to fill the vacancy left by Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court, has become a contentious figure in American politics.

Republicans seem to be united in their support of his confirmation, but more and more Democrats are voicing their opposition.

Democrats recently revealed their plan to filibuster Gorsuch’s confirmation. The divide along party lines regarding a Supreme Court justice nominee began last year when Republicans blocked President Obama’s nominee, Judge Merrick Garland, arguing that, since it was an election year, it should be the prerogative of the new president to appoint a new justice.

Democrats, of course, disagreed, and many still harbor ill will toward Republicans on the issue and how it was handled.

Despite the opposition from Democrats, however, Republicans remain confident that Gorsuch will be confirmed and instated on the nation’s highest court.

"We are optimistic they will not be successful in keeping this man from joining the Supreme Court very soon,” stated Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, as reported by the Chicago Tribune.

Gorsuch underwent confirmation hearings last week, and overall performed very well, although not well enough to please many Democrats.

McConnell has the option of changing Senate rules to only need a majority vote, rather than the usual 60 votes to confirm a Supreme Court nominee, but this move would be controversial and would add to the rift between the parties regarding Gorsuch.

"A lot of us really hate the thought of using it. Nonetheless it may very well be the ultimate outcome because one way or the other, we will have Judge Gorsuch on the bench," stated Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD)."That will happen."

 

Photo: Judge Neil Gorsuch testifies during the third day of his Supreme Court confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill, March 22, 2017 in Washington. Gorsuch was nominated by President Donald Trump to fill the vacancy left on the court by the February 2016 death of Associate Justice Antonin Scalia.

Photo courtesy: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Publication date: March 29, 2017



Republicans Confident Democrats Won’t be Able to Block Gorsuch’s Confirmation