Senate Republicans Successfully Filibuster Millett Nomination for D.C. Circuit

Senate Republicans today successfully filibustered Patricia Millett's nomination for the D.C. Circuit.  The Senate voted 55-38 to end debate and proceed to a vote on the nomination, but the body needed 60 votes under Senate rules.  The Republicans' move blocks the nomination, unless and until the Senate can muster 60 votes, or changes its rules.

Millett would fill one of three vacancies on the court.  The Republicans' move means that this exceptionally important court--often called the second most important court in the country--continues to operate three shy of a full bench.  The move also means that the court continues to be dominated by judges appointed by Republican presidents (despite Republicans' argues to the contrary).  (There's an even split among the active judges, but judges appointed by Republicans are dominant among the semi-retired.  Those semi-retired judges still sit and help decide cases.)  Finally, the move means that a supremely well qualified nominee who receieved bipartisan praise won't get the nod from the Senate, despite receiving a majority to proceed to a vote.

No word yet whether Democrats will use the nuclear option and try to change the filibuster rule to bypass Republican obstruction, or whether leaders will come up with some other way to proceed.

UPDATE: Here's a link to the roll-call (h/t Glenn Sugameli).