In the face of growing pressure, key bipartisan senators are not announced on Kavanaugh



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Several Democrats seeking re-election in Republican states won by President Donald Trump face tough political choices ahead of the midterm elections: Vote for Kavanaugh and upset their Democratic constituents, possibly in November Trump supporters in their states that might otherwise vote for them.

For now, they do not say how they will vote, but it is worth noting that they did not oppose him, as so many fellow Democrats did.

Asked Wednesday, if she had seen red flags about Kavanaugh, North Dakota Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp said, "It's not what I've seen so far."

Senator Joe Donnelly, an Indiana Democrat who is ready to be re-elected this year, also declined to say how he would vote.

"I am still reviewing everything at this stage," he said.

Another undecided Democrat, Senator Jon Tester of Montana, said he wanted to review the record of the confirmation hearings and meet in person with Kavanaugh to "clear things up" on some issues. Test said he was worried about Kavanaugh's record on abortion rights, security and campaign financing.

Following Kavanaugh's controversial hearings last week, liberal outside groups, including those who fear Kavanaugh's confirmation may result in the overthrow of Roe vs. Wade, are putting additional pressure on Republican Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins from Maine. According to his team, the attacks against Collins are more and more hostile.

In recent days, the Collins office has reported an increase in vulgar messages to the senator and his staff. Several GOP senators criticized the Liberal groups for targeting Collins.

"The increasingly aggressive behavior of Liberal activists and opponents of Justice Kavanaugh is extremely worrying, targeting members in such a personal and hostile way does not fit into public discourse and Senator Schume's continued silence a dangerous message to the Senate and to the country. "Senator John Cornyn, the number two Republican in the House, said in a statement. "It is time for Senator Schumer to clearly indicate where he is and to disavow the popular regime of the radical left."

Senator Orrin Hatch, of Utah, a member of the Senate's largest judicial and republican committee, predicted that the campaign against Collins would not work and that she would vote for the judge.

"She knows that he is a class actor and a reasonable guy," said Hatch, who also stated that he expected Kavanaugh to be confirmed when a vote is expected during the last week of September.

A crowdfunding campaign has also threatened to fund a challenger against Collins if she votes for Kavanaugh.

"Corruption will not work on Senator Collins," said Annie Clark, a spokeswoman for Collins. "The extortion will not work on Senator Collins, and anyone who thinks this tactic would work on Senator Collins obviously does not know it.This overcrowded money to pressure her is based on a counterpart – you vote the way we want and we will keep over a million dollars from your opponent – vote against us and we give him the money.It is basically a bribe.Sevenor Collins will decide on the merits of appointment, threats or other attempts to intimidate it will not play any role in its decision-making. "

While Murkowski and Collins, along with three Red Democrats – Heitkamp, ​​Donnelly and Joe Manchin of West Virginia – voted in favor of Neil Gorsuch, Trump's first choice of the Supreme Court, the pressure of the Liberal base does not matter. only increase with the appointment of Kavanaugh.

If all the Republicans vote for Kavanaugh, they can empty it without the support of the Democrats.

It is unclear when bipartisan groups of senators, closely monitored, will announce their decisions. It is possible that the Democrats, if they want to support Kavanaugh, stop until the Republicans announce that they support him, in order to avoid posing as the decisive vote in his favor and to provoke the anger of liberal voters.

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