A third Democratic senator has announced his support for Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch.
Sen. Joe Donnelly of Indiana becomes the third Democrat to say he will support President Trump’s pick to replace the late Antonin Scalia.
“After meeting with Judge Gorsuch, conducting a thorough review of his record, and closely following his hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, I believe that he is a qualified jurist who will base his decisions on his understanding of the law and is well-respected among his peers,” he said in a statement Sunday.
Assuming all Republicans support Gorsuch, the nominee would need the votes of five more Democrats to achieve the 60 votes needed to avoid a filibuster. If the number does not hit 60, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has indicated he will invoke the “nuclear option” to end filibusters of Supreme Court nominees and require only a majority vote for confirmation.
Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., and Joe Minchin, D-W.Va., announced Thursday they would vote to confirm Gorsuch to the Supreme Court:
Two Democrats have announced they plan on voting for Neil Gorsuch for the Supreme Court. Senators Joe Manchin and Heidi Heitkamp have spoken out on Gorsuch and confirmed that it is their obligation to vote yes…Isn’t it great to have politicians who are nonpartisan and vote with integrity? We’re sure Chuck Schumer’s not a happy camper about this…
Joe Manchin stated:
“Senators have a constitutional obligation to advice and consent on a nominee to fill this Supreme Court vacancy and, simply put, we have a responsibility to do our jobs as elected officials,” Manchin said in a statement Thursday. “I will vote to confirm him to be the ninth justice on the Supreme Court.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csE04bREOAE
Heitcamp of North Dakota also pledged her vote for Gorsuch and released a statement to confirm: “After doing my due diligence by meeting with Judge Gorsuch and reviewing his record and testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, I’ve decided to vote in favor of his confirmation. He has a record as a balanced, meticulous, and well-respected jurist who understands the rule of law,”.