Susan Collins and Jeff Flake have both said that they found the FBI report to be “thorough.”
As senators weigh an FBI report on sexual misconduct allegations against Brett Kavanaugh, eyes are on five swing votes — all but one of whom are still undecided.
The lawmakers to watch are Republican Sens. Jeff Flake, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, as well as Democratic Sens. Heidi Heitkamp and Joe Manchin. Given Republicans’ razor-thin 51-49 majority in the Senate, their collective votes will be the deciding factor in whether or not Kavanaugh is ultimately confirmed to the Supreme Court.
Heitkamp — a red-state senator facing a stiff reelection battle in November — announced Thursday afternoon that she will be opposing Kavanaugh’s nomination. But the other four senators haven’t yet said where they stand.
Flake and Collins on Thursday appeared to signal that they are satisfied with the scope of the FBI report and its findings. Collins has said she found the report to be a “thorough” review even as Democrats have lambasted it for its limited scope, sentiments that Flake echoed.
We’ll be keeping tabs on where these five pivotal senators stand as a procedural vote on Kavanaugh approaches this Friday. Here’s what each of them have said so far.
