GOP Sen. Jeff Flake's dramatic last-minute stand, in 3 photos

Jeff Flake.
(Image credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) took America on a wild ride as he maybe didn't, then definitely did, then sort of didn't support Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation. It's a story perhaps best told through the senator's da Vinci-esque facial expressions.

At first, Flake seemed like a contender to upend Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation. But that thought crumbled when Flake announced Friday he'd vote to confirm Kavanaugh in a full Senate vote.

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But wait! Then came two sexual assault survivors, who held open an elevator door and grilled Flake on his choice. Hours later, rumblings soon emerged that Flake might flip. Democratic senators tried to convince Flake to come to their side and block Kavanaugh ...

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... but the GOP eventually prevailed — in a way. Flake did vote to send Kavanaugh past the Senate Judiciary Committee for a full body vote. Yet he hinted he might not actually back Kavanaugh in the end, unless there was an FBI investigation into sexual assault allegations against the nominee.

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Republicans eventually agreed to request an FBI probe before a final confirmation vote — all thanks to a little eyebrow-wiggling from a soon-to-be-retired Arizona senator.

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Kathryn Krawczyk

Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.