washington/philadelphia u.s. president donald trump say wednesday make choice fill vacancy u.s. supreme court feb. seek restore conservative majority high court prompt republicans congress warn democrats block nominee three u.s. appeal court judge among close consideration trump fill vacancy leave death conservative justice antonin scalia nearly year ago appointment supreme court justice require senate confirmation lifetime post trump fellow republicans control senate 52-48 majority democrats could try block nomination use procedural hurdle john thune third-ranking senate republican warn party would allow trump nominee languish fill seat south dakota senator say response reporter question whether republicans might scrap procedural hurdle know filibuster democrats use block nomination speak open day three-day retreat senate house representatives republicans philadelphia thune say republicans opportunities consult democrats say long consultation process would allow go potentially take step end standoff democrats erect barriers nomination three years ago democrats control senate use majority change senate rule order ban filibuster presidential nominees supreme court move come republicans block several key appointees then-president barack obama tuesday senate democratic leader chuck schumer say tell trump meet democrats would fight nominee consider outside mainstream trump position name scalia replacement republican-led u.s. senate last year refuse consider obama nominee appeal court judge merrick garland current front-runners include three conservative jurists appoint bench republican former president george w. bush neil gorsuch judge denver-based 10th u.s. circuit court appeal thomas hardiman serve philadelphia-based 3rd u.s. circuit court appeal william pryor judge atlanta-based 11th u.s. circuit court appeal white house spokesman sean spic tell reporters daily brief wednesday would get ahead trump decision note president list 20 candidates supreme court campaign select nation top court nominees could contenders 100 vacancies low federal court add trump choose u.s. supreme court justice nominee february