Gorsuch’s extreme record has left him short of the 60 votes traditionally required to close debate and vote on a Supreme Court nominee. Instead of admitting defeat and requesting a more mainstream nominee, McConnell is now threatening to invoke the incredibly unpopular “nuclear option” and change 230 years of Senate precedent to eliminate the filibuster and ram Gorsuch through with fewer than 60 votes.
Many Republicans are very nervous about blowing up the rules over this one vote—and they should be. In the history of our country, every single justice to sit on the Supreme Court has received the approval of a filibuster-proof majority. This is a vital check-and-balance in our democracy, and an important function of the United States Senate. Supreme Court Justices enjoy lifetime terms, and they should not be selected on the temporary whims of one political party or the other. Call your senators and tell them to back away from the nuclear option. The message is simple: if your Supreme Court nominee is so extreme that he can’t get to 60 votes, you don’t change the rules, you change the nominee!
Capitol Switchboard 202-224-3121
