Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, said Tuesday the Judiciary Committee could hold a vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh as early as Friday, one day after the committee holds a hearing on accusations that Kavanaugh attempted to sexually assault Christine Blasey Ford while the two were in high school.
Cornyn said the panel could vote on Kavanaugh by Friday, which means the full Senate could be in a position to hold a confirmation vote during “the first part of next week.”
To get there, Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., a member of the Judiciary Committee, said he anticipated a vote this weekend to speed along procedural hurdles that consume the clock in the Senate.
“I think we are going to be in session,” Kennedy said on the possibility of some weekend work.
Those predictions came as Senate GOP leaders predicted that Kavanaugh would ultimately be confirmed, despite two allegations against him dealing with sexual assault.
“We are going to be moving forward; I’m confident we are going to win,” Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said after a closed-door meeting with rank-and-file Republicans. “I’m confident he will be confirmed in the very near future.”
McConnell warned GOP lawmakers to be prepared for weekend procedural votes that would be required ahead of a final vote on Kavanaugh.
Republicans have long vied a late-September vote on the nominee in order to confirm him in time for the Oct. 1 start of the Supreme Court term.
