A top Democrat in the Senate said his vulnerable colleagues from red states "understand" that fighting to stop President Trump's Supreme Court pick is more important than getting re-elected in 2018.

Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., was pressed on this "dilemma" that Democrats face as the 2018 midterms approach during an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press."

"Staying united to stop the Supreme Court pick could cost you red state senators. Not fighting it as hard might allow the red state senators to get re-elected and get Democrats in control of the Senate. That's your dilemma," host Chuck Todd posited on Sunday.

[Also read: Trump's top four candidates to succeed Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court]

Durbin conceded that it is a dilemma "in one respect," but made that case for how it is a trade off Democrats are willing to make.

"It is a dilemma in one respect, but not in another. I will tell you, the men and women that I work with on the Democratic side really take this seriously. They understand it's an historic decision. It's about more than the next election," he said, adding that the issue is about setting the future course for the country.



Trump will reveal in a prime-time announcement Monday his pick to succeed Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court.

Senate Democrats are urging Senate Majority Leader McConnell, R-Ky., to hold off on confirming Trump’s Supreme Court nominee until after the midterm elections and the completion of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, as the nominee may hear cases on the Supreme Court arising from the inquiry.

There are 10 Democratic senators up for re-election in 2018, including vulnerable red state Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin from West Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp from North Dakota, and Joe Donnelly from Indiana. The three were the only Democrats who voted to confirm Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court in 2017.