(MCT) — WASHINGTON — On the eve of a Senate committee vote on Chuck Hagel’s nomination as defense secretary, a group of Republican senators continued Monday to threaten an unusual filibuster of a Cabinet appointment despite warnings from others in the party that it would set a bad precedent.

Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., said he would insist on a 60-vote threshold to bring the nomination to a final floor vote, which has happened just twice before with Cabinet nominees. Inhofe denied that he was “anxious to try to string this out,” but said it was important for Hagel to face that higher threshold given the opposition.