Centrist Senate Democrats say they are reserving the right to filibuster President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Neil Gorsuch, once they review his record.

America Rising Squared, a conservative group backing Gorsuch’s nomination, circulated an email Tuesday evening claiming six Democrats are “rejecting the liberal push for a filibuster.”

But while several of those Democrats, including Sens. Chris Coons Christopher (Chris) Andrew CoonsConservative activist Lauren Witzke wins GOP Senate primary in Delaware Coons beats back progressive Senate primary challenger in Delaware Democrats back away from quick reversal of Trump tax cuts MORE (Del.) and Claire McCaskill Claire Conner McCaskillDemocratic-linked group runs ads in Kansas GOP Senate primary Trump mocked for low attendance at rally Missouri county issues travel advisory for Lake of the Ozarks after Memorial Day parties MORE (Mo.), have called for a vote on the nominee, they have stopped short of saying they would vote to end the expected Democratic filibuster of Gorsuch.

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The distinction is key, as the cloture motion to end a filibuster would require 60 votes.

Coons told reporters Wednesday morning that he is only in favor of calling for a vote on Gorsuch in the Senate Judiciary Committee and would not commit to supporting a floor vote at this early stage.

“I think we’ll get to that,” he said, when asked whether he supports holding a vote on ending an expected Democratic filibuster. “He should get a hearing and vote [in] committee.”

Coons said it was “a misunderstanding” to characterize his position as supporting an up-or-down, simple-majority vote on the Senate floor.

He said that Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerOvernight Health Care: Schumer calls for Azar to resign over 'chaos' in coronavirus response CNBC's Cramer calls Pelosi 'crazy Nancy' in live interview Schumer calls for Azar to resign over 'chaos' in coronavirus response MORE (N.Y.) has announced Democrats will require a 60-vote threshold for Gorsuch, something he did not disagree with.

“It is a 60-vote threshold vote, that is what it is,” he said.

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McCaskill, who is running for reelection in a state Trump won by nearly 20 points, said Tuesday that she would carefully review Gorsuch’s record before making a decision on whether to support a filibuster.

“I will treat this nominee as I have every other nominee, on the merits. Probably waiting until a confirmation hearing to get as much information as possible,” she said.

She said Democrats should not block Gorsuch just because Senate Republicans refused to schedule a vote on Merrick Garland, whom former President Barack Obama Barack Hussein ObamaBiden to hold call with Senate Democrats on Thursday: report Romney undecided on authorizing subpoenas for GOP Obama-era probes Billboards in four states and DC demand ICE 'free the families' MORE nominated for the Supreme Court in 2016.

But that doesn’t mean giving Trump’s pick an automatic green light for a final up-or-down vote.

“Folks in my state want me to call balls and strikes based on the individual nominee and their record,” she said.

Before Trump’s announcement, McCaskill said she anticipated the nomination “with a great deal of skepticism” because she had reviewed the list of 21 potential candidates he floated during the campaign — a list that included Gorsuch — and found them “all pretty extreme.”

Sen. Joe Manchin Joseph (Joe) ManchinOVERNIGHT ENERGY: House Democrats tee up vote on climate-focused energy bill next week | EPA reappoints controversial leader to air quality advisory committee | Coronavirus creates delay in Pentagon research for alternative to 'forever chemicals' Senate Democrats demand White House fire controversial head of public lands agency House Democrats tee up vote on climate-focused energy bill next week MORE (W.Va.), a third Democrat some activists are counting as a possible vote to quash a filibuster of Gorsuch, said Tuesday — before the nominee was named — that he would support the dilatory tactic if he found the nominee to be out of the mainstream.

“I’m not filibustering for the sake of person, I won’t do that,” Manchin said.

“I will look at their past findings, their past writings, and how they’ve been involved and make my decision. If I’m against that person, I will vote against them for cloture,” he said.

“I’m not going to be voting for cloture and then have 51 votes to get somebody in,” he said.

Activists are also citing the recent statement of Sen. Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), a more liberal Democrat who just won reelection.

He told MSNBC on Tuesday that he “will support having a hearing and a vote” because he said Trump’s nominee “deserves that consideration.”

But he told CNN on Wednesday that he supports a 60-vote threshold for the 49-year-old Gorsuch because his appointment to the Supreme Court would be for life.

Coons explained to reporters earlier in the day that requiring a 60-vote threshold for confirmation is akin to a filibuster.

“There’s been a lot of back and forth about what a filibuster means for a Supreme Court nomination. Here’s my understanding. It doesn’t mean that we go to the floor and get out the cots and stay there and talk for 26 hours. It is simply a question of whether there is or isn’t a 60-vote threshold,” he said.

If Gorsuch were to fall short of 60 votes, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellGOP ramps up attacks on Democrats over talk of nixing filibuster MLB owner: It's 'very necessary' to vote for Trump Delta: Early departures saved flight attendants' jobs MORE (R-Ky.) would face the decision of whether to use the “nuclear option” to change Senate rules so that Supreme Court nominees can be confirmed with 50 votes.

Trump encouraged that option Wednesday.

“If we end up with that gridlock, I would say, if you can, Mitch, go nuclear,” Trump told reporters during a meeting with judicial advocates in the Roosevelt Room.

"Because that would be an absolute shame if a man of this quality was put up to that neglect," he said of Gorsuch, a federal circuit court judge. "So I would say, it's up to Mitch, but I would say go for it."