Kavanaugh Confirmation
GOP Sen. Susan Collins to announce pivotal Kavanaugh decision Friday afternoon
Three of the four swing senators who remain undecided on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation voted on Friday to advance his nomination to a final vote.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) was the only Republican to vote "no" on Kavanaugh's advancement. She reportedly spoke with GOP leaders for more than 20 minutes after casting her vote. Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) voted "yes," though their ultimate decision on whether to support his confirmation remains uncertain. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) was the only Democrat to vote "yes," and he has said he is considering voting "yes" during the final vote, scheduled for Saturday.
Collins plans to announce whether she will vote to confirm Kavanaugh at 3 p.m. Friday. She said on Thursday that the FBI's report regarding sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh was "very thorough," suggesting she was felt the matter had been sufficiently investigated. However, she has not signaled which way she will vote, not even saying whether last minute factors like President Trump's comments were affecting her views.
Kavanaugh needs 50 votes to be confirmed (Vice President Mike Pence could break a tie); so far, 48 of the 51 Senate Republicans have pledged support.