Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s Senate confirmation hearings have been rife with scandal and multiple accusations of sexual assault, culminating in testimony given by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, Kavanaugh’s first accuser, and then by Kavanaugh himself. Nearly everyone agrees that in their appearances before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Ford and Judge Kavanaugh were starkly different in terms of tone and forthrightness. In a surprising last-minute decision, Sen. Jeff Flake, an Arizona Republican on the verge of retirement, voted in favor of Kavanaugh while asking for, and then receiving, an extra week of FBI investigations into the allegations against President Trump's second Supreme Court nominee.
As we wait for senators to read the results of the FBI's supplemental investigation, it appears that several have changed their stance on whether they believe Ford and whether they are still reserving judgment until they have pondered the FBI's report. Here are the known responses of every member of the U.S. Senate, gathered through media interviews or social media postings. They are categorized as follows: 1) believes Ford, 2) unsure and calls to investigate, 3) believes both and Ford is mistaken, 4) believes Kavanaugh, 5) doesn’t care if the allegations are true, and 6) has made no direct statement on either party’s credibility. In addition, those senators who are up for re-election in November are noted with an asterisk. The senators’ prior statements are available here.
As shown below, many senators who said they were undecided prior to last week's hearing have now fallen in line with their party’s stance; the vast majority of Republicans believe Kavanaugh and the vast majority of Democrats believe Ford. There are still quite a few Republican senators, and a couple of Democrats, who remain undecided and can perhaps be swayed one way or another. Only time (and perhaps elevator encounters) will tell.
Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska: Unsure and investigate.
Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska: Unsure and investigate.
Doug Jones, D-Ala.: Believes Ford.
Richard Shelby, R-Ala.: Believes both.
John Boozman, R-Ark.: No direct statement, supports Kavanaugh.
Tom Cotton, R-Ark.: Believes Kavanaugh.
Jeff Flake, R-Ariz.: Unsure and investigate; apparently satisfied with FBI report.
Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.: No direct statement, not supportive of FBI investigation.
*Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.: Believes Ford.
Kamala Harris, D-Calif.: Believes Ford.
Michael Bennet, D-Colo.: Believes Ford and investigate.
Cory Gardner, R-Colo.: No direct statement.
Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.: Believes Ford.
*Chris Murphy, D-Conn: Believes Ford.
*Tom Carper, D-Del.: Believes Ford.
Chris Coons, D-Del.: Believes Ford.
*Bill Nelson, D-Fla.: Believes Ford.
Marco Rubio, R-Fla: Unsure and investigate.
Johnny Isakson, R-Ga.: Unsure and investigate.
David Perdue, R-Ga.: Believes Kavanaugh.
*Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii: Believes Ford.
Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii: Unsure and investigate.
Joni Ernst, R-Iowa: Believes Kavanaugh.
Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa: Believes Kavanaugh and investigate.
Mike Crapo, R-Idaho: Believes both, Ford mistaken.
Jim Risch, R-Idaho: No response.
Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill.: Believes Ford.
Dick Durbin, D-Ill: Believes Ford.
*Joe Donnelly, D-Ind.: Believes Ford.
Todd Young, R-Ind.: Believes Kavanaugh.
Jerry Moran, R-Kan.: Believes Kavanaugh.
Pat Roberts, R-Kan.: Believes Kavanaugh.
Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.: Doesn’t care, supports Kavanaugh.
Rand Paul, R-Ky.: Didn’t care, no statement made post-hearing.
Bill Cassidy, R-La.: Believes Kavanaugh.
John Kennedy, R- La.: Believes Kavanaugh.
Ed Markey, D-Mass.: Believes Ford.
*Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.: Believes Ford.
*Ben Cardin, D-Md.: Believes Ford.
Chris Van Hollen, D-Md: Believes Ford.
Susan Collins, R-Maine: Unsure and investigate; apparently satisfied with FBI report.
*Angus King, I-Maine: Believes Ford.
Gary Peters, D-Mich.: Believes Ford.
*Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich.: Believes Ford and investigate.
*Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.: Believes Ford.
Tina Smith, D-Minn.: Believes Ford.
Roy Blunt, R-Mo.: Didn’t know and investigate. No post-hearing statement found.
*Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.: Didn’t know and investigate. No post-hearing statement found
*Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss.: Ford is lying. No post-hearing statement found.
*Roger Wicker, R-Miss.: Ford is lying. No post-hearing statement found.
Steve Daines, R-Mont.: Believes Kavanaugh.
*Jon Tester, D-Mont.: Believes Ford.
Richard Burr, R-N.C.: Believes Kavanaugh.
Thom Tillis, R-N.C.: Believes Kavanaugh.
*Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D.: Unsure and investigate.
John Hoeven, R-N.D.: Believes Kavanaugh.
*Deb Fischer, R-Neb.: Believes Kavanaugh.
Ben Sasse, R-Neb.: Believes Kavanaugh.
Maggie Hassan, D-N.H.: Believes Ford.
Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.: Believes Ford.
Cory Booker, D-N.J.: Believes Ford.
*Bob Menendez, D-N.J.: Believes Ford.
*Martin Heinrich, D-N.M.: Believes Ford.
Tom Udall, D-N.M.: Believes Ford.
Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.: Unsure and investigate.
*Dean Heller, R-Nev.: Believes both, wants investigation.
*Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.: Believes Ford.
Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.: Believes Ford.
*Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio: Believes Ford.
Rob Portman, R-Ohio: Believes Kavanaugh.
Jim Inhofe, R-Okla.: Believes Kavanaugh.
James Lankford, R-Okla.: Believes Kavanaugh, thinks Ford is mistaken.
Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.: Believes Ford.
Ron Wyden, D-Ore.: Believes Ford.
*Bob Casey, D-Pa.: Believes Ford.
Pat Toomey, R-Pa.: Believes Kavanaugh.
Jack Reed, D-R.I.: Believes Ford.
*Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.: Believes Ford.
Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.: Doesn’t care, likes Kavanaugh.
Tim Scott, R-S.C.: No response. No post-hearing statement found
Mike Rounds, R-S.D.: Believes both, Ford is mistaken.
John Thune, R-S.D.: Believes both, supports Kavanaugh.
Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.: Believes Kavanaugh.
Bob Corker, R-Tenn.: Believes Kavanaugh.
John Cornyn, R-Texas: Believes Kavanaugh.
*Ted Cruz, R-Texas: Believes Kavanaugh.
Orrin Hatch, R-Utah: Believes Kavanaugh.
Mike Lee, R-Utah: Believes Kavanaugh.
*Tim Kaine, D-Va.: Believes Ford.
Mark Warner, D-Va.: Believes Ford.
Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.: Believes Ford.
*Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.: Believes Ford.
*Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.: Believes Ford.
Patty Murray, D-Wash.: Believes Ford.
*Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.: Believes Ford.
Ron Johnson, R-Wis.: Believes both, Ford is mistaken.
Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V.: Believes Kavanaugh.
*Joe Manchin, D-W.V.: Unsure and investigate.
*John Barrasso, R-Wyo.: Believes Kavanaugh.
Mike Enzi, R-Wyo.: Believes Kavanaugh.
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