Susan Ferrechio of the Washington Examiner identifies six senators to watch during the debate over Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In a Senate with 50 voting Republicans and 49 who vote as Democrats, Kavanaugh can be scuttled if just one Republican votes “no,” but can be saved if every “no” from a Republican is met with at least one “yes” by a Democrat.
That means every vote matters, especially among a handful of Republicans and Democrats who have the potential to vote with the other party. Here’s who to watch:
Susan Collins, R-Maine
Collins has never voted against a Republican president’s nominee to the Supreme Court, but she has threatened to do so this time if President Trump’s pick could vote to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision legalizing abortion. …
… Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska
Like Collins, Murkowski is pro-abortion, yet she also voted for Alito in spite of his views on Roe v. Wade.
Murkowski, like Collins, will also pay close attention to the nominee’s views on Obamacare, which likely faces future court challenges. Both Murkowski and Collins were among a trio of GOP senators who blocked a move to repeal Obamacare.
Others Ferrechio mentions: Democrats Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, and Doug Jones of Alabama.
