[hsalaw]

58 votes so far to break cloture. The Dakota and Arkansas senators are pacing.

Sorry to be so uninformed about the process, but what does this mean? That 58 votes (I assume FOR Alito) are enough to break up a filibuster? And what's happening in Dakota and Arkansas?

[LdSentinal]

If the Democrats do filibuster, it would take 60 votes to break it when not using the NUKE option. All 55 Republican senators are against the filibuster. That doesn't mean all 55 will vote for him, but Alito has over 50 votes for confirmation. With the 55 Republicans against the filibuster, three Democrats have said they, too, would oppose a filibuster: Ben Nelson, Ken Salazar, and Mary Landrieu. This takes us to 58.

North Dakota has two Democratic senators with one up for re-election this year. North Dakota is a heavily Republican state and a vote against Alito would create a backlash. The same for South Dakota senator, Time Johnson (D). South Dakota, too, is a heavily Republican state. Arkansas has two Democratic senators, but it's a state that continues to trend Republican. All five senators have not yet said how they will vote if a potential filibuster came about or on Alito himself.