Sen. Lindsey Graham said that if the Democrats filibuster, the GOP has no other option but to use the "nuclear option" to confirm Neal Gorsuch. | AP Photo Graham: 'No other option' than to use nuclear option if Dems block Gorsuch

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said Friday the Republicans would have “no other option” than to use the so-called nuclear option to confirm Supreme Court Nominee Neil Gorsuch if the Democrats block him.

“If they filibuster this man, we'll have no other option but to change the rules because if we don't that means President Trump can never make a selection to the Supreme Court and I will not allow that to happen,” Graham said during an appearance on Fox News.


Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday that the Democrats will block Neil Gorsuch from receiving the 60 votes he needs for confirmation, all but assuring a showdown with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

If Gorsuch does not get the at least eight Democratic votes he needs to get confirmed, McConnell will have to decide whether the Republicans will lower the standard for Supreme Court confirmations from 60 votes to 50.

“What Sen. Schumer is doing is changing 200 years of precedent in the Senate because he cannot stand the pressure from the left,” he said. “And that is sad and I hope some members of the conference will not allow this happen.”

Graham voted for Obama nominees Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor because he thought they were qualified, even though they are liberal, he said.

“I'm telling my Democratic friends I took a beating for doing what I thought was best for the body and for the judiciary,” he said. “I will not allow you to set aside this election. I didn’t vote for President Trump, but he won and he’s picked a home-run nominee in Neil Gorsuch.”

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He added that Schumer was a “destructive force” to the Senate as an institution.

“This is about the left taking over the Democratic Party,” Graham said. “This is why Trump won. This man is as mainstream a judge as you’ll ever find on the conservative side. “

