Tipsheet

Kavanaugh Confirmation Vote: Here's How Senate GOP Is Handling The Absence Of Steve Daines On Saturday

Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) will not be around this weekend for the proposed final vote on the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh. He’s now become another key vote in this process. His daughter is getting married this weekend and he’s going to walk her down the aisle. It’s non-negotiable—and it’s all happening in Montana. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) sided with Democrats last Friday in backing a delay for an FBI investigation to vet the three sexual misconduct allegations—all of which have zero evidence or corroborating witnesses—hurled against Kavanaugh at the last minute. Sens. Joe Donnelly (D-IN) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), two possible Democratic crossovers, said they’re not voting in support of Kavanaugh. Joe Manchin is still unknown. And the usual three—Sens. Flake, Collins (R-ME), and Murkowski (R-AK)—are also up in the air. We did have the votes last Thursday. Flake’s last minute stabbing in the back bungled the plan. So, the weeklong delay is over. The report from the FBI is done. And it says what we’ve known since the beginning. There’s no corroborating evidence. Nothing. It’s time to vote. 

Donald Trump Jr., tweeted last night that Daines is a good friend, and that his situation is being covered. What does that mean? Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell filed a cloture motion Wednesday night. The vote to invoke it is today at 10:30 A.M. the final vote would then be teed up for Saturday. With Daines out of D.C., the vote could be held open for hours until he’s able to fly back in the middle of the night and cast his vote. Daines has become a key vote in the Kavanaugh confirmation battle. We probably can’t do this without him:

So, let’s hope there is a working protocol set in place for him. It’s going to be a tight one, folks.