Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerPelosi orders Capitol flags at half-staff to honor Ginsburg Ginsburg in statement before her death said she wished not to be replaced until next president is sworn in Democrats call for NRA Foundation to be prohibited from receiving donations from federal employees MORE (D-N.Y.) said Thursday it is "virtually impossible" for Democrats and Republicans to reach an agreement on President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Judge Neil Gorsuch, before the upper chamber casts its votes to end debate.

“I don’t think they’ll be able to come to any kind of agreement,” Schumer told The Washington Post about the two parties striking a deal by next week to avoid a bitter showdown. “It’s virtually impossible.”

Gorsuch would need 60 votes to proceed to a confirmation vote under current Senate rules. With Republicans holding a 52-seat majority, eight Democratic lawmakers would need to vote to end debate for the high court appointee, and only two have announced their support.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellObama calls on Senate not to fill Ginsburg's vacancy until after election Planned Parenthood: 'The fate of our rights' depends on Ginsburg replacement Progressive group to spend M in ad campaign on Supreme Court vacancy MORE (R-Ky.) and other Republicans have said they'll vote for Gorsuch regardless of Democratic opposition.

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Republicans are signaling that if Democrats filibuster the judge's confirmation, they are willing to invoke the so-called nuclear option, changing Senate rules to allow them to confirm him with a simple majority.

Schumer expressed concern to the Post that if Republicans use the nuclear option to confirm Gorsuch, the simple-majority vote will become the precedent and not the exception.

“The deal would be, ‘We won’t change the rules on the next one,’ but the nuclear option is always available. So how do you solve that?” Schumer said.

Schumer argued that Gorsuch “did not convince people he was independent and thoughtful and down the middle" during his confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

On Thursday, two Democratic senators serving in states won heavily by Trump — Heidi Heitkamp Mary (Heidi) Kathryn HeitkampCentrists, progressives rally around Harris pick for VP 70 former senators propose bipartisan caucus for incumbents Susan Collins set to play pivotal role in impeachment drama MORE (N.D.) and Joe Manchin Joseph (Joe) ManchinBiden promises Democratic senators help in battleground states Senate leaders quash talk of rank-and-file COVID-19 deal OVERNIGHT 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' MORE (W.Va.) — announced their support for Gorsuch, becoming the first Democrats to back him.

Thirty-four Senate Democrats plan to vote against Trump's Supreme Court nominee, according to The Hill’s Whip List.