Republicans Already Expressing Regret Over Nuclear Option They Don’t Have To Take

As Leader Schumer said on Sunday, Republicans do not need to break the rules of the Senate for President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch:

Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer: “It looks like Gorsuch will not reach the 60-vote margin. So instead of changing the rules, which is up to Mitch McConnell and the Republican majority, why doesn't President Trump, Democrats and Republicans in the Senate sit down and try to come up with a mainstream nominee? Look, when a nominee doesn't get 60 votes, you shouldn't change the rules. You should change the nominee.” [NBC Meet the Press, 4/4/17]

Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer: “Let's sit down and come together. Our Republican friends are acting like, you know, they're a cat on the top of a tree, and they think they have to jump off with all of the damage that entails. Come back off the tree, sit down, and work with us, and we'll produce a mainstream nominee.” [NBC Meet the Press, 4/4/17]

REPUBLICANS ALREADY REGRET PLANS TO BREAK THE RULES OF THE SENATE TO CHANGE THE RULES FOR TRUMP SUPREME COURT NOMINEE NEIL GORSUCH.

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ): “I think it’s a dark day in the history of the United States Senate. It’s going to happen. It’s interesting that Republicans were dead set against it when my former colleague Harry Reid invoked it with the judges. But now it seems to be ‘okay.’ What we should have done is what we did in 2005 and that was a group of us got together, 14 of us, and said look we won’t filibuster except in extraordinary conditions. And now, we are so polarized now, including between the two leaders Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer, that there’s no communications anymore. But, look, if you can do this with 51 votes, what do you think the next nominee is going to be like? And then what do you think is going to happen when eventually the Democrats are in the majority in the Senate, and that’s going to happen sooner or later. I hope later.” [CNN, 4/4/17]

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ): “I guarantee you, just as the Democrats regretted what Harry Reid did, we will regret doing this,” McCain of Arizona told reporters. He was referring to then-Democratic leader Harry Reid’s decision in 2013 to end the filibuster for lower-court and executive-branch nominees. Asked why he would support a rule change he finds so objectionable, McCain said, “I have no choice. I have no choice. Because we need to confirm Gorsuch.” [Bloomberg, 4/3/17]

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME): "If it's necessary in order to get him confirmed, I may have to vote that way, but I certainly don't want to," Collins told reporters Monday night. … "And I think that is truly tragic," she said. "It gets bad for the Senate as an institution, and I think it is bad for the court, as well." [CNN, 4/4/17]

Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN): “It’s both sides that have taken us to this place,” Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) told reporters last week. “We will end up with Reid breaking the rules to change the rules, McConnell breaking the rules to change the rules.” Corker noted that ending the filibuster on legislation would likely be next. “It will just take one tough legislative issue coming up and somebody else will do it,” Corker said. “I think we all know that’s where we’re heading.” [TPM. 4/4/17]

Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC): “If we have to, we will change the rules, and it looks like we’re going to have to,” Graham told colleagues. “I hate that, I really, really do.” [The Hill, 4/3/17]

Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC): "I think it would be bad for the Senate," he acknowledged. But asked if he would try to head off the crisis as he has done before, Graham said: "I don't think so." [CNN, 3/27/17]

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN): The nuclear option would be "damaging to the Senate, damaging to them and damaging to the country.” [AP, 4/4/17]

Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD): "I don't think we have a choice," Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota said. "It's very unfortunate. I think it turns our stomach." [CNN, 3/30/17]

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX): "I hope it doesn't come to that but if the Democrats force our hand, then we'll be prepared to do what we need to do to confirm the judge." [CNN, 3/29/17]