The United States Senate on Friday confirmed Neil M Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, capping a long battle to replace Justice Antonin Scalia. This has been the longest vacancy in the US’ top court since 1862, as Scalia died on February 13, 2016.

Senate laws were changed a day before the vote to bypass the Democrats, who are in minority in the House. On Thursday, Republicans took a “nuclear option” to advance the Denver judge’s nomination. This allowed him to move ahead with just a simple majority, though the Democrats had filibustered Gorsuch’s nomination and the Republicans did not have enough votes to overcome the filibuster (they needed 60 votes).

The Republicans had decided not to hold a hearing on former President Barack Obama’s nominee for the post, Judge Merrick Garland, intensifying the bitter partisan fighting over who would fill the vacancy. With the Senate’s approval of the 49-year-old, the conservatives are in majority 5-4. This fulfils one of Trump’s poll promises in a week in which he had also approved air strikes in Syria.

Gorsuch’s confirmation will probably help Trump get several legislations through. Besides a new healthcare legislation, the Republican president is also planning a tax cut legislation.