GOP to Try to Filibuster Hagel

Do Democrats have the votes?

Republicans are filibustering Chuck Hagel's nomination for secretary of defense, Senate minority leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) announced Thursday.

The Senate will vote to end debate on Hagel's nomination Friday morning, Reid said. Democrats need at least five Republicans to meet the 60-vote threshold required to end a filibuster, though it is unclear whether they have those votes in the bag. A GOP aide says "it's pretty clear" Reid does not have the votes. No major cabinet appointee has ever been successfully filibustered.

Reid was visibly agitated as he made the announcement. "This isn't a high school getting ready for a football game," he huffed on the Senate floor. "There are serious consequences to this delay."