It's Official: Judge Neil Gorsuch Has Been Confirmed

By Martin Walsh | 12:30 PM on April 07, 2017

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Supreme Court Justice nominee Neil Gorsuch is sworn in on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, March 20, 2017, during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

The Senate confirmed Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch on Friday, giving Republicans a much-needed win politically and in their quest to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia.

Gorsuch clinched the majority threshold with a 54-45 vote on Friday after House Majority Leader Mitch McConnell rewrote chamber rules that eliminated the 60-vote filibuster and allowed for a 51-vote majority.

VP Pence: "The nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch of Colorado to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States is confirmed." pic.twitter.com/KzwuAIB0vs

— ABC News (@ABC) April 7, 2017

Only three Democrats voted in favor of Gorsuch: Joe Donnelly (D-Indiana), Heidi Heitkamp (D-North Dakota), and Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia).

“He’s going to make an incredible addition to the court,” McConnell said on the Senate floor on Friday.

McConnell spoke very highly and proudly of Gorsuch, adding that he has “sterling credentials, an excellent record, and an ideal judicial temperament.”

Many Republicans have argued that Democrats treated Judge Gorsuch very unfairly as he was an exceptionally qualified nominee for our nation’s highest court.

“Rarely has this body seen a nominee to the Supreme Court so well-qualified, so skilled, [with] such command of constitutional jurisprudence, with such an established record of independence and such judicial temperament,” Sen. John McCain said.

The Senate’s approval of Gorsuch, 49, will reinstate the 5-4 conservative majority on the bench of nine, fulfilling a campaign promise made by then candidate Donald Trump.

The confirmation is a major win for Republicans and Trump shortly after they failed to repeal and replace Obamacare two weeks ago.

Congratulations, Judge Gorsuch! #SCOTUS pic.twitter.com/92K6j4bagx

— House Republicans (@HouseGOP) April 7, 2017

While the White House and Republicans move forward with tax reform, healthcare, and many other major agendas, securing the Supreme Court for conservatives was the biggest win yet in Trump’s young presidency.

Gorsuch is expected to take the oath on Monday.