Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is betting that blocking President Obama's Supreme Court nominee will turn into a net-plus for him at the polls because it will gin up a GOP base that, frankly, isn't particularly fond of him. But Democrats have as much, if not more, at stake and not just in terms of the crucial cases on the docket this year and in years to come, writes James Hohmann.
Just imagine a nominee who is African American, Asian American, or Hispanic and/or a woman as the poster child for everything Republicans stand against. That person could become the rallying cry for the Obama coalition of voters that twice delivered the presidency to Democrats. She or he could be the human embodiment of where the country is headed even more so than perhaps the Democratic nominee will be. Not to mention the Supreme Court docket alone, which includes cases on climate change, immigration, and abortion, among other galvanizing issues on the left.
And then there’s the independent voters or leaners.
More broadly, this could also undermine efforts by Senate Republicans to show that they are capable of governing and not just “the party of no.” Make no mistake: The upper chamber will grind to a standstill if the GOP follows through on this threat. Democrats who are inclined to work with them promise to stop doing so if Republicans play hardball.
Even though the GOP base is diminishing in numbers, it has proven to be a particularly reliable cohort of voters. Democrats, on the other hand, increasingly have the numbers to win if they can just get their voters to the polls. That's why having Republicans actively stonewall an Obama nominee potentially has far bigger upsides for Democrats. Usually, a presidential nominee gets one chance at a running mate to help energize voters. But in this case, with the election so close, Democrats could essentially have a third candidate on the ballot—and one that would almost surely have more longevity than a one- or two-term president.