House and Senate leaders Monday threw their support behind Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who faces a bruising confirmation battle in the months ahead.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called Kavanaugh a “superb choice” and “an impressive nominee who is extremely well qualified.”
[More: Mitch McConnell: Democrats opposing Brett Kavanaugh toss ‘judgment out the window’]
Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, praised Kavanaugh as “an exceptionally-qualified jurist who will be a fair and impartial arbiter of the law and will not legislate from the bench.”
Cornyn said Kavanaugh “has served with a high moral standard and demonstrated a clear commitment to faithfully interpreting the Constitution.”
Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., called Kavanaugh “an excellent choice,” who has demonstrated “constitutional principles are the ultimate guide for his opinions.”
Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., the No. 3 Senate Republican, warned Democrats would move to block Kavanaugh regardless of his credentials.
He called on Democrats “to carefully review the qualifications of this nominee instead of trying to solicit his opinions on political issues, and to remember that the responsibility of a Supreme Court justice is to interpret the laws as written, not substitute political opinions for the law.”
Not all rank and file Republicans declared immediate support for the nominee.
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said in a statement Kavanaugh has “an impressive record,” but he plans to meet with Kavanaugh soon “to discuss more in detail his views on the Supreme Court’s role in our constitutional democracy.”
Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., said, “This isn’t the apocalypse. This is an opportunity to thoroughly review Kavanaugh’s record, debate this seriously, and celebrate our system of checks, balances, and limited government.”
