Although the rules of the Senate are in the hands of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the Democrats are the ones putting their future numbers at risk if they filibuster Judge Neil Gorsuch's Supreme Court confirmation this week and force the senator to invoke the nuclear option.
"[Judge Gorsuch] will ultimately be confirmed," McConnell told host Chris Wallace on "Fox News Sunday." "Exactly how that happens will be up to our Democratic colleagues."
If Democrats do not contribute to the 60 votes needed to confirm SCOTUS-nominee Gorsuch, McConnell can change the rules of the Senate to allow a simple majority to pass a measure in the Senate – just 50 votes if you consider Vice President Mike Pence's potential deciding vote in case of a tie. Republicans hold a 52-46 Senate majority (with two independents).
"It is noteworthy that no Supreme Court justice has ever in the history of our country has been stopped by a partisan filibuster, ever," McConnell added to Wallace.
McConnell vowed "we're going to confirm Judge Gorsuch this week," regardless of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's, D-N.Y., vow to filibuster.
"What I am telling is that Judge Gorsuch is going to be confirmed," McConnell told Wallace. "The way in which that occurs will be in the hands of the Democratic minority. I think in the course of the week we'll find out exactly how this will end.
"But it will end with his confirmation."
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