Senate Republicans confirmed Thursday evening that they will be moving ahead with a committee vote and then a floor vote on Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) told reporters that the Senate Judiciary Committee plans to hold a vote on Friday morning. The full Senate will then hold an initial procedural vote Monday and the final vote on his nomination will likely take place Tuesday.
"I'm optimistic, yeah. I don't see any reason why he wouldn't be voted out positively," Cornyn commented.
Kavanaugh's fate lies in the hands of key moderate Republican senators such as Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Jeff Flake (R-AZ). The three reportedly met along with moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) Thursday evening prior to the Republican conference following the hearing. They all remain officially undecided.
Judge Kavanaugh gave an emotional testimony Thursday denying Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s allegations that he groped her and pinned her down while he was drunk at a party in high school. The witnesses she initially claimed were present have denied that such an event occurred.
Dr. Ford also gave an emotional account of her allegations, eliciting sympathy from the committee and praise from the Democrats. However, she struggled with certain facts during questioning such as whether or not she showed therapy notes to the Washington Post, why her fear of flying was cited as a reason for not coming to the hearing despite her having traveled extensively for vacation, and what day she took a polygraph test.
Kavanaugh denied other last-minute allegations as well from Deborah Ramirez, who claimed he exposed himself to her at a party in college, and from Julie Swetnick, who claimed he took advantage of girls at parties and that these parties regularly included gang rape.