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Sen. Jeff Flake to Vote Yes on Kavanaugh to Supreme Court, Reports

‘Unless something big changes’

Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., speaks before the Senate Judiciary Committee meeting about the Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh Friday Sept. 28, 2018. (Sarah Silbiger/CQ Roll Call)!
Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., speaks before the Senate Judiciary Committee meeting about the Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh Friday Sept. 28, 2018. (Sarah Silbiger/CQ Roll Call)!

Sen. Jeff Flake announced Friday he will vote to confirm Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh “unless something big changes,” the Associated Press reported.

Flake deciding to vote “yes” means Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and President Trump could lose one GOP senator and use Vice President Mike Pence’s tie-breaking vote to confirm Kavanaugh by the narrowest of margins.

Earlier Friday, the Senate voted 51-49 to limit debate on Kavanaugh’s nomination, setting up a potential Saturday confirmation vote.

All eyes now are on undecided Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Joe Manchin III of West Virginia. Neither has announced how they will vote Saturday. Both voted Friday to limit debate and move to a final vote.

Alaska GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski broke ranks Friday and voted with Democrats, signaling she’s a no on the final vote.

Asked if the White House and Senate GOP leaders have the votes to confirm Brett Kavanaugh, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, “I sure hope so.”

“I think that we should,” she said, adding White House officials hope the Senate will vote on Saturday.

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