Mainly that the earth has shifted under her feet. And by the force of this logic:
(1) Trump made it very clear in his campaign that he would be appointing conservative justices, like the late Justice Scalia.
(2) Trump won a convincing election.
(3) Therefore it is the will of the people that the Senate confirm a strongly conservative nominee, like Justice Scalia.
I think the Olympia Snowes and Susan Collinses of this world tried to justify their rogue behavior by pretending that conservative nominees were "out of the mainstream" of American opinion. Now it is clear they don't have that excuse any longer.
You have much more “leverage” with a member of your own party (even a whacked out liberal member!) then someone of the other party!
(Leverage = committee chairmanship, assignments, etc. and it has always been this way! There never was a “Golden Age” of selfless politics!)
This is where we often shoot ourselves in the foot!
We get “control” of a house of the legislature but because of “purity” desires we won’t do what’s necessary to keep enough members to have votes to actually impose “our will”.
I’ll take 25% of “our will” over zero! Next phase work for 50%, then next phase 75% and so on!
“Now it is clear they don’t have that excuse any longer. “
So...you think Trump’s mandate is greater than what Reagan had, or GWB?
Their excuse was always just a bald-faced lie to excuse doing what they wanted to do. And what they wanted didn’t differ much from what Hillary wanted. The NeverTrumpers preferred Hillary. And they preferred her because she came closer to representing their views!
People like Kelly Ayotte would point out Trump lost the popular vote, and therefor any nominee he makes needs to be moderate...the sort Hillary would have made. People like Kelly Ayotte and John McCain are traitors. They are not our friends.