BREAKING: Democrats filibuster Gorsuch nomination

It’s official.

In what is likely to be a very brief victory for Senate Democrats, senators opposed to Judge Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court successfully prevented Gorsuch’s confirmation under the Senate’s current rules. Senate Republicans need 60 votes to confirm President Trump’s nominee under those rules, and they do not have enough votes.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is expected to invoke the so-called “nuclear option” on Thursday though, which will change the Senate’s rules and allow Gorsuch to be confirmed by a simple majority vote.

This maneuver will weaken the filibuster, which has historically functioned as a thorn in the side of democracy. Nevertheless, thanks to Senate malapportionment, the senators opposed to Gorsuch’s confirmation represent well over half of the nation.