Tim Kaine on Friday said he believes Senate Democrats will change the chamber’s rules if they run into GOP obstruction in 2017.

“If these guys think guys think they are going to stonewall the filling of that vacancy, or other vacancies, then a Democratic Senate majority will say we’re not going to let you thwart the law,” he told The Huffington Post.
The historic move would let Supreme Court nominees bypass a current 60-vote procedural requirement and be approved by a simple majority.

Pressed as to he is saying Democrats will carry out a threat from outgoing Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to use the procedural “nuclear option,” Kaine added, “I am predicting that if the Republicans continue to stonewall, then I think that will happen.”

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), asked this week if Republicans should consider a Clinton nominee, appeared to suggest letting the vacancy created by Justice Antonin Scalia’s death go unfilled for years.