The ordeal of Judge Gorsuch

Gorsuch's path to 60 votes closing fast  . . . "Senior Democratic sources are now increasingly confident that Gorsuch can’t clear a filibuster, saying his ceiling is likely mid- to upper-50s on the key procedural vote. That would mark the first successful filibuster of a Supreme Court nominee since Abe Fortas for chief justice in the 1960s. 

"In the latest ominous sign for the federal judge from Colorado, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) said Monday he’ll oppose Gorsuch on the cloture vote, which is expected late next week. More than a decade ago, Nelson helped break a filibuster of now-Justice Samuel Alito. 

"If Democrats successfully filibuster Gorsuch, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has heavily telegraphed that he will invoke the so-called nuclear option to unilaterally change Senate rules with a simple majority vote. And Republicans are confident they’ll have the votes to do it, even as wary as many senators are about forever altering the deliberative nature of the chamber."  . . .

Gorsuch Gets Support from Native American Groups, Liz Warren Hardest Hit

. . . "Two Native American advocacy groups apparently like Gorsuch and want to see him seated on the bench.

"Ryan Lovelace reports at the Washington Examiner:

Support for Gorsuch from Native American groups could put pressure on Western Democrats" . . .

(Emphases in the original)