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Late Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) detonated the first Senate "nuclear option" in 2013, curbing the filibuster to confirm executive branch nominees - except for the Supreme Court .

Former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) ignited the second "nuclear option" in 2017 to confirm Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, and lower the filibuster bar for nominations to the High Court .

THUNE LAYS GROUNDWORK FOR NUCLEAR OPTION IN SENATE FIGHT OVER TRUMP NOMINEES

Now, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is likely to detonate the parliamentary equivalent of a "suitcase nuke" later this week.

Thune will follow the playbook established by Reid and McConnell to alter the Senate precedent (not a rules

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