With President Trump about to make his Supreme Court nomination, one top Democrat is so worried he’s urging his colleagues to put the country before their own careers.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said red-state Democrats might be tempted to vote for Trump’s nominee because the midterm elections are coming up—but they should prioritize stopping his nomination to the Supreme Court.
"Beyond the procedure, beyond the gamesmanship, it is a life-and-death important decision to be made by this court on so many issues," the Senate minority whip said on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday.
Host Chuck Todd then brought up the dilemma faced by red-state Democrats.
“And yet you have this political dilemma that stares, I think, you and Chuck Schumer really in the face as the two leaders, which is this: staying united to stop the Supreme Court pick could cost you red state senators,” he said. “Not fighting it as hard might allow the red state senators to get reelected and get Democrats in control of the Senate. That's your dilemma.”
Durbin said Todd had a point but that his colleagues understood the significance of the decision that’s before them.
“It is a dilemma in one respect but not in another. I will tell you, the men and women that I work with on the Democratic side really take this seriously. They understand it's a historic decision,” he said. “It's about more than the next election. It's about what country the United States of America is going to chart as its course in the future on this Supreme Court. I think each and every one of them take that seriously, that personally. It goes beyond the next election.”
Trump will announce his decision Monday at 9 p.m.
“An exceptional person will be chosen!” he tweeted Sunday.