The Senate handed President Donald Trump his biggest victory sofar, confirming Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch after Republicans muscled pastDemocratic opposition with a unilateral rule change that may windup poisoning the debate over the president’s agenda inCongress.

With Vice President Mike Pence in the presiding officer’s chair,the Senate voted 54-45 to confirm Gorsuch who, at age 49, is likelyto help shape the court for decades to come. Trump is counting onhim to reinstate a conservative-leaning 5-4 court under ChiefJustice John Roberts.

“He has sterling credentials, an excellent record and an idealjudicial temperament. He has the independence of mind forfairness,” Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on the Senate floorFriday before the vote.

Democrats say Gorsuch favored corporations over workingAmericans as a federal appellate judge.

“We all know there’s an anger and sourness in the land becauseaverage people aren’t getting a fair shake compared to thepowerful,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. "In manycases, the Supreme Court is the last resort for everyday Americanswho are seeking fairness and justice against forces much largerthan themselves.”

All but four of the Senate’s 48 Democrats refused to advanceGorsuch’s nomination Thursday. Senate Republicans responded with a“ nuclear option” rule change to lower the 60-vote threshold to asimple majority for all high court nominees. The unilateral actionwill only increase the partisan discord in the Senate, Democratssaid.

“They’re throwing a monkey wrench in the gears of bipartisanshipand it’s going to make a tough situation even worse,” said SenatorChris Van Hollen, Maryland Democrat.

Trump said Thursday that Republicans’ decision to lower the votethreshold to advance nominees won’t affect his future choices --even as he mused to reporters on Air Force One that he mightnominate as many as four justices before his term ends in January2021.

“Under a certain scenario there could even be more than that,”he said. “But no, I don’t think the nuclear option has anyimpact.”

Trump nominated Gorsuch on Jan. 31 to replaceJustice Antonin Scalia, who died in February 2016. While the judgewas unanimously confirmed to the appellate court in 2006, hishigh-court confirmation took on a sharply partisan bent.

He was approved on a party-line 11-9 vote by the SenateJudiciary Committee after Democrats accused him of evading theirquestions on his judicial views and pointed to his rulings thatthey said show a bent toward favoring corporations over ordinarypeople.

Other Democrats said Gorsuch’s nomination was tainted byRepublicans’ refusal last year to consider President Barack Obama’snomination of Judge Merrick Garland for the vacancy. OregonDemocrat Jeff Merkely accused Republicans of the "theft" of thecourt seat.

Mainstream judge

Republicans said Gorsuch is a mainstream selection who is highlyqualified. He made no obvious stumbles during about 20 hours ofcommittee questioning.

Gorsuch’s rise is a rare bright spot for Trump amid courtrulings halting his immigration order, Republicans’ inability toagree on an Obamacare repeal, and investigations of potentialconnections between Russia and Trump’s presidential campaign.

The Senate confirmation comes in time to let Gorsuch join thenation’s highest court in time for its last arguments of the termlater this month.

Congress will move on to big debates over government spending, adebt-limit increase, border security, a tax overhaul andinfrastructure. Even after Thursday’s rule change, Senate Democratswill keep the ability to block legislation by demanding a 60-votethreshold, so the minority party’s support will be needed to passanything in a chamber Republicans control 52-48.

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