Democrats are delaying for one week an initial committee vote on Neil Gorsuch, President Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court.

Sen. Chuck Grassley Charles (Chuck) Ernest GrassleySenate Republicans face tough decision on replacing Ginsburg What Senate Republicans have said about election-year Supreme Court vacancies Biden says Ginsburg successor should be picked by candidate who wins on Nov. 3 MORE (R-Iowa), the chairman of the committee, said Democrats had requested that the committee's vote on Gorsuch be punted to next week.

"I understand that the minority would like to hold [him] over," Grassley said during the Judiciary Committee's meeting on Monday.

Under committee rules any one member can request that a nomination be held the first time it appears on the agenda.

ADVERTISEMENT

Democrats were widely expected to delay the committee's vote until next week.

The delay means the committee vote will take place on April 3, giving Republicans days to meet their goal of winning Gorsuch's confirmation by the full Senate by the end of that week.

The Senate will then go into a recess.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck 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's office blasted 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 on Monday, accusing the Kentucky Republican of "ramming" Gorsuch through the Senate.

The average length of time between a committee vote and a full Senate vote is 12 days, according to Schumer's office.

Democrats are demanding a 60-vote threshold for Gorsuch's approval, but it is unclear whether the party has enough votes to support a filibuster against Trump's nominee.

Sen. Patrick Leahy Patrick Joseph LeahyBattle over timing complicates Democratic shutdown strategy Hillicon Valley: Russia 'amplifying' concerns around mail-in voting to undermine election | Facebook and Twitter take steps to limit Trump remarks on voting | Facebook to block political ads ahead of election Top Democrats press Trump to sanction Russian individuals over 2020 election interference efforts MORE (D-Vt.), the former chairman of the Judiciary Committee, is hinting he could help Gorsuch overcome a filibuster, though he doesn't support his nomination.

“I am not inclined to filibuster, even though I’m not inclined to vote for him," Leahy told a Vermont news outlet.

Roughly 14 senators—largely from the party's progressive wing—have said they expect to oppose Gorsuch's nomination. No Democrats have come out in support of him, but most senators up for reelection in states carried by Trump remain on the fence.

Republicans have suggested they will change the Senate's rules allowing a filibuster for Supreme Court nominees if Democrats block Gorsuch.

The committee held a four-day hearing on Gorsuch's nomination last week, with Trump's nominee appearing before the committee for three days.

Grassley praised Gorsuch's performance calling him "deeply committed" to being impartial.

"Last week we got to see up-close how thoughtful, articulate, and humble he is," he said during Monday's committee meeting.

Democrats remain bitter over Republicans' refusal to give former President Obama's nominee, Merrick Garland, a hearing or a vote.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein Dianne Emiel FeinsteinMcConnell says Trump nominee to replace Ginsburg will get Senate vote Top Democrats call for DOJ watchdog to probe Barr over possible 2020 election influence Intensifying natural disasters do little to move needle on climate efforts MORE (D-Calif.), the top Democrat on the committee, read a list of former presidents who had been allowed to fill a vacancy in an election year during Monday's meeting.

"You can imagine perhaps on our side the depth of feeling that came about during this period of time," she said, referring to the fight over Garland.

Feinstein added that the millions pouring in to the fight over Gorsuch from outside groups is "counterproductive."

Democrats also delayed Rod Rosenstein, nominated to be deputy attorney general, by a week.