That was my point. The Republicans did not allow him to come to the floor because they wanted the Republicans to do the same that they would do so that they could use it in the future against the Republicans. The Republicans chose not to let that happen and refused to take the bait, and apparently did not suffer any additional consequences. In the future, I think they have learned is that there is nothing to lose by all out war against any democratic nomination.
Another lesson is that Democrats can swim around in the gutter like Esther Williams to take out a judicial nominee, and nobody holds it against them. But if Republicans do anything other than glowingly ratify a Dem’s judicial nominee, they are never forgiven, even if they say or do nothing ugly.