Democratic Virginia Sen. Mark Warner has found himself on the front lines in the fight against President Trump’s executive actions and we can now add the nomination of a new Supreme Court Justice to the list.

In a statement sent out this morning, Warner (top image left) said he was worried about the future of the Senate if the so called “nuclear option” was used. This maneuver, which would required Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to change the rules to deny any future filibusters for Supreme Court nominations, could have “lasting consequences” on the Senate, according to Warner.

But SCOTUS nominee Neil Gorsuch (top image right), who’s been compared philosophically to his replacement Antonin Scalia, didn’t do enough to sway Warner during last week’s confirmation hearings.

“Despite his impressive academic credentials, Judge Gorsuch’s record and evasive responses – even refusing to answer questions regarding his views of cases like Roe v. Wade and Citizens United – do not give me confidence that he possesses a judicial philosophy that will serve the American public well,” Warner said.

For a bit more insight into the recent Gorsuch hearings check out the Daily Show’s breakdown here –

The first vote on Gorsuch is happening as I type this, with a full floor vote expected to shortly follow. Republicans need 60 votes to avoid the “nuclear option” and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has promised as slow the process any way his party can. But if they do, Republicans only need 51 votes to change the rules and they currently have 52 seats.

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