The issue focused heavily on Sessions's endorsement of gay marriage last week and President Donald Trump's reversal last week on repealing ObamaCare. But Democrats argued they needed more transparency about how those nominees handle conflicts of interest when nominating senators.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday he hoped "whatever nominee Gorsuch accepts does reflect our broader philosophy." But Republicans objected that lawmakers weren't adequately vetting nominees based on conflict of interest or partisan motivations.

Democrats slammed Sessions as unfit for office because he lacks ethics credentials. Sessions declined to