washington republican-backed senate rule change expect thursday could make likely presidents pick ideologically extreme u.s. supreme court nominees little incentive choose centrist justices experts say deep partisan divide washington democrats use procedural tactic call filibuster try block confirmation president donald trump supreme court nominee neil gorsuch republican-led senate majority leader mitch mcconnell threaten change long-standing rule 100-seat senate democrats succeed filibuster order prohibit tactic supreme court nominees would mean nominees could confirm simple majority rather need first muster 60-vote super-majority experts say rule change call nuclear option could produce ever-more ideologically polarize supreme court years senate narrowly divide filibuster rule mean presidents need make appointments could win least vote party court prospect filibuster shape way presidents pick nominees say stephen wermiel supreme court scholar american university washington college law although widely use idea deterrent presidents appoint justices might consider extreme significant factor wermiel say republican senator john mccain defender senate traditions warn consequences rule change though say would reluctantly support move see nominees extremes leave right mccain say see ensure fair impartial judiciary fact think opposite true americans long confident equal protection law republican senator lindsay graham say supreme court nominees go ideological less rule change warily support nuclear option would erase last shred bipartisanship senate confirmation process say senate democratic leader chuck schumer lead filibuster gorsuch elimination filibuster supreme court nominees could matter next vacancy nine-seat court gorsuch nominate trump replace justice antonin scalia die last year three current justices 78 old liberal ruth bad ginsburg 84 conservative anthony kennedy sometimes side court liberals big case 80 liberal stephen breyer 78. justices ideologically extreme would make compromise among hard lead rule public may view base political agenda law say university massachusetts amherst political science professor paul collins co-author book supreme court confirmation hear confirm expect friday gorsuch would restore court 5-4 conservative majority overturn landmark 1973 roe v. wade rule legalize abortion nationwide may become likely filibuster moderate choice future court nominees wermiel say without filibuster future democratic president democratic-led senate could feel free name justice dogmatic leave result would court even polarize current one already perceive say brook institution think tank expert russell wheeler say ideologically-driven administration would eschew middle-of-the-road judge wheeler say would stack court ideological soulmates trump advisor leonard leo say best way avoid extreme nominees electoral process trump make clear 2016 presidential campaign would pick list potential supreme court nominees make public voters elect trump leo say people know know get elect president leo say 'nuclear option fallout extreme u.s. justices experts say