The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 11-9 to pass Judge Gorsuch on to the Senate for a vote. The full Senate will cast votes on his confirmation this Friday.
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday voted 11-9 along party lines to move Judge Neil Gorsuch’s Supreme Court nomination to the full chamber, but Democrats look to have the votes necessary to prompt a fight over the filibuster.
“Judge Gorsuch is eminently qualified,” Judiciary Committee chairman Chuck Grassley said at Monday’s hearing. “This nominee we’re voting on today is a judge’s judge. He’s a picture of the kind of justice we should have on the Supreme Court.”
Democrats threatened to filibuster the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals judge’s Supreme Court nomination, and GOP leadership has responded by signaling it would lower the vote threshold required to confirm Gorsuch. On Monday afternoon, Delaware Sen. Chris Coons’ expressed his willingness to vote against cloture, giving Democrats the votes needed to filibuster Gorsuch’s nomination.