One senator's private objection can freeze a Senate nomination indefinitely. Thom Tillis is using that leverage in the open against Todd Blanche, which is the unusual part.

One Senate procedure lets any senator force a vote on almost anything, as long as they're willing to stay past 3 a.m.

One procedural rule, named for a West Virginia senator, decides which provisions survive a reconciliation bill — and it shaped how the 2025 tax law was written.