GOP threatens more judicial confirmations if Dems delay Barrett

Senate Republicans say they are planning some payback if Senate Democrats force procedural votes to delay the Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett: more judges.

Though Democrats cannot stop Barrett's nomination, they can force floor votes to protest going on recess or holding committee hearings longer than two hours. Those tactics could force Republicans to put up enough votes to overcome the 47-member Democratic minority, dragging vulnerable GOP senators off the campaign trail.

But should it come to that, Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) said "there's a price to pay."

"We're prepared for that if they decide they want to use motions to adjourn or try and use the tools at their disposal to keep us here, that's fine,” Thune said on Tuesday afternoon. “But that keeps them here too and what that means is we'll do more judges and more executive nominations that those guys don't like.”

Democrats are weighing which tactics to use, but many in the party are on board with making Barrett's confirmation as painful as possible for Republicans. And some Democrats, including Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, say they won't meet with Barrett either, shunning her nomination as illegitimate and inappropriate so close to the election.