At the same time Wednesday that Judge Brett Kavanaugh was working Capitol Hill corridors for support for his nomination, another important nominee was finally confirmed after more than a year of waiting.

Brian Benczkowski on Wednesday won Senate confirmation as the new assistant attorney general of the criminal division at the U.S. Department of Justice. West Virginia’s Joe Manchin broke ranks with his fellow Democrats to confirm the nominee 51-48. Washington is especially fixated on what that confirmation augurs for the confirmation of President Trump’s nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh.