Assuming all Republicans support Gorsuch, the nominee would need the votes of five more Democrats to achieve the 60 votes needed to avoid a filibuster. If the number does not hit 60, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has indicated he will invoke the  nuclear option  to end filibusters of Supreme Court nominees and require only a majority vote for confirmation.Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., and Joe Minchin, D-W.Va., announced Thursday they would vote to confirm Gorsuch to the Supreme Court: Senators have a constitutional obligation to advice and consent on a nominee to fill this Supreme Court vacancy and, simply put, we have a responsibility to do our jobs as elected officials,  Manchin said in a statement Thursday.  I will vote to confirm him to be the ninth justice on the Supreme Court. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csE04bREOAEHeitcamp of North Dakota also pledged her vote for Gorsuch and released a statement to confirm:  After doing my due diligence by meeting with Judge Gorsuch and reviewing his record and testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, I ve decided to vote in favor of his confirmation. He has a record as a balanced, meticulous, and well-respected jurist who understands the rule of law, . 