WASHINGTON — The conventional Washington wisdom dictates that the end of the judicial filibuster is also the end of life as it is currently known in the Senate.

In truth, it may not make that much of a difference at all. In an unexpected way, it may well herald the beginning of a better era for the Senate.

The Senate Republicans’ successful effort on Thursday to end the 60-vote threshold to proceed with confirmation of Supreme Court nominees was really only the final step in a process set in motion by Democrats in 2013, when they removed that threshold for other nominees.

That set off a far bigger firestorm, and Republicans have now simply extended that precedent.

Republicans are quick to point out — and many Democrats privately agree — that had former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton won the White House last year and Democrats taken the Senate, a similar confrontation would have been likely in the other direction, and that Democrats might have needed to take the same step Republicans took to confirm any Supreme Court nominee Mrs. Clinton had chosen.