Senate Democratic leaders are giving centrist colleagues space on Neil Gorsuch despite strong pressure from the liberal base to sink President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee.

Minority Whip Dick Durbin Richard (Dick) Joseph DurbinMcConnell focuses on confirming judicial nominees with COVID-19 talks stalled Senate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden Top GOP senator calls for Biden to release list of possible Supreme Court picks MORE (D-Ill.) says he’s not tallying votes for the nominee, leaving it to Democratic 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 (N.Y.) to have one-on-one conversations with undecided members of their caucus.

Sen. Jon Tester Jonathan (Jon) TesterPence seeks to boost Daines in critical Montana Senate race This World Suicide Prevention Day, let's recommit to protecting the lives of our veterans Filibuster fight looms if Democrats retake Senate MORE (D-Mont.) said ­Schumer is giving centrists like him room to decide how to vote, mindful that 10 members of the conference face reelection in states Trump won in November.

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“Schumer hasn’t said anything to me. I have not visited with Chuck,” Tester said. “There’s no whipping ­going on whatsoever — probably because he knows it probably wouldn’t do any good.”

A senior Democratic aide disputed that claim, however, insisting, “We’re whipping it.”

The aide said Schumer knows that some of the lawmakers facing reelection next year in states Trump won by double digits will likely advance Gorsuch to a final confirmation vote.

“We have eight votes to play with,” the aide said.

Republicans control 52 seats and need eight Democrats or Independents to join them to reach the 60-vote threshold for ending a filibuster.

Earlier Wednesday, Schumer told reporters it’s unlikely Gorsuch will muster the 60 votes he needs, one day after saying he has a “real uphill climb” to even get to a final up-or-down vote.

A senior aide to a Democratic senator who is undecided on Gorsuch said he has not seen an obvious effort by Schumer to whip votes one-on-one.

The aide said Schumer is giving red-state Democrats a lot of leash because he knows he has the 41 votes he needs to block Gorsuch.

More than half the conference has come out against the nominee.

Sen. 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, whose home state of West Virginia voted for Trump overwhelmingly, said Schumer has not tried to twist his arm.

“Not at all. Chuck’s been great. He knows who I am. We’ve been really good friends. He gives me his points of view, and I say it makes sense or it doesn’t,” he said.

He’s told Schumer he wants to meet with Gorsuch again before making a decision on final confirmation but has said he’ll support ending the filibuster — called cloture — on the nomination. Manchin is the first and only Democrat so far to offer to help Trump’s pick get over the 60-vote threshold.

Sen. 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.), another vulnerable Democrat in a state Trump won, seemed to signal Tuesday that she might vote for cloture on Gorsuch.

Durbin noted that Schumer has limited leverage with the centrist bloc of his party.

“It’s not a formal whip count, up-or-down whip count,” he said. “We’re not doing it that way.”

He said vulnerable Democrats such as Tester, Heitkamp and Claire McCaskill Claire Conner McCaskillDemocratic-linked group runs ads in Kansas GOP Senate primary Trump mocked for low attendance at rally Missouri county issues travel advisory for Lake of the Ozarks after Memorial Day parties MORE (Mo.) will have leeway to make their own decisions.

“We don’t have binding caucus positions,” he added.

Despite growing confidence among Democrats that they can block Gorsuch, a senior GOP aide counted 16 Democrats as undecided — giving 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.) hope of reaching the 60-vote threshold.

Potential swing votes include Democrats from states Trump won handily, such as Tester, Heitkamp, McCaskill and Sen. Joe Donnelly Joseph (Joe) Simon DonnellyEx-Sen. Joe Donnelly endorses Biden Lobbying world 70 former senators propose bipartisan caucus for incumbents MORE (Ind.). They also include Sens. 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 (Calif.), the senior Democrat on the Judiciary Committee; Michael Bennet Michael Farrand BennetOVERNIGHT 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' Senate Democrats demand White House fire controversial head of public lands agency Next crisis, keep people working and give them raises MORE (Colo.), who represents Gorsuch’s home state and introduced him at his confirmation hearings; Mark Warner Mark Robert WarnerIntelligence chief says Congress will get some in-person election security briefings Overnight Defense: Trump hosts Israel, UAE, Bahrain for historic signing l Air Force reveals it secretly built and flew new fighter jet l Coronavirus creates delay in Pentagon research for alternative to 'forever chemicals' House approves bill to secure internet-connected federal devices against cyber threats MORE (Va.), a centrist with a record of working with the GOP; and Angus King Angus KingShakespeare Theatre Company goes virtual for 'Will on the Hill...or Won't They?' On The Trail: How Nancy Pelosi could improbably become president Angus King: Ending election security briefings 'looks like a pre-cover-up' MORE, an Independent from Maine who caucuses with Democrats but praised Gorsuch’s record as “exceedingly independent.”

Two more Democrats, Sens. Tim Kaine Timothy (Tim) Michael KaineBiden promises Democratic senators help in battleground states Second GOP senator to quarantine after exposure to coronavirus The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - Pence lauds Harris as 'experienced debater'; Trump, Biden diverge over debate prep MORE (Va.) and Martin Heinrich Martin Trevor HeinrichSenate Democrats demand White House fire controversial head of public lands agency Senate Democrats seek removal of controversial public lands head after nomination withdrawal Five takeaways from final Senate Intel Russia report MORE (N.M.), came out against Gorsuch on Wednesday and also said they won’t vote to advance him to a final vote.

Kaine said Gorsuch showed “selective activism in restricting women’s rights” during his tenure on the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, while Heinrich voiced concern over the judge’s “record of siding with large corporations over the rights of individuals.”

Sen. Maria Cantwell Maria Elaine CantwellHillicon Valley: Zuckerberg acknowledges failure to take down Kenosha military group despite warnings | Election officials push back against concerns over mail-in voting, drop boxes Bipartisan senators call for investigation of popular fertility app The Hill's Coronavirus Report: Mike Roman says 3M on track to deliver 2 billion respirators globally and 1 billion in US by end of year; US, Pfizer agree to 100M doses of COVID-19 vaccine that will be free to Americans MORE (Wash.), who supported ending a filibuster of conservative Justice Samuel Alito’s nomination to the Supreme Court in 2006, met with Gorsuch Wednesday and plans to announce her decision soon.

Senate Republicans have accused Schumer of breaking Senate tradition by filibustering a Supreme Court nomination, something that happened successfully only once in history, when a bipartisan group of senators blocked the nomination of Abe Fortas to serve as chief justice in 1968.

A senior Republican called Schumer’s action “completely irresponsible.”

But Democrats counter that Republicans broke 230 years of precedent by refusing to give President Obama’s nominee, Merrick Garland, a hearing or a vote for nearly 10 months.

In fact, Sen. Tom Carper Thomas (Tom) Richard CarperDemocrat asks for probe of EPA's use of politically appointed lawyers Overnight Energy: Study links coronavirus mortality to air pollution exposure | Low-income, minority households pay more for utilities: report OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Democrats push resolution to battle climate change, sluggish economy and racial injustice | Senators reach compromise on greenhouse gas amendment stalling energy bill | Trump courts Florida voters with offshore drilling moratorium MORE (D-Del.) said he’ll “oppose Judge Gorsuch’s nomination until we find agreement on moving Judge Garland’s nomination forward at the same time.”

Schumer has come under heavy pressure from the liberal base to put up a stiff fight against Gorsuch.

An estimated 3,000 protesters gathered outside his apartment in Brooklyn on the same day Trump announced the nominee.

A senior Democratic aide said it must have been a “jarring” experience for Schumer, who is used to being treated as a hero in his home state and who won reelection last year with 70 percent of the vote.

But with Senate Republicans threatening to change the filibuster rules, some Democrats privately argue it would be smarter for Schumer to allow centrist colleagues to vote for Gorsuch now in hopes of saving the procedural block for a second Supreme Court seat that might become vacant under Trump.

They argue the stakes would be higher if a liberal justice such as Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 84, or Stephen Breyer, 78, retired or fell ill.

Schumer countered that argument on Wednesday, saying the fight over Gorsuch is as important as any down the road.

“We believe that there are Republicans that are reluctant to change the rules,” he said. “We hope they won’t do it.”

“If they’re going to change the rules on this one, why wouldn’t they change them on the next one afterwards anyway?” he added.