GOP could pay at polls for Kavanaugh

Washington — Senate Republicans were defiant on Sunday, one day after Brett Kavanaugh was sworn in as the 114th Supreme Court justice, brushing aside concerns about how they handled the brutal confirmation process and the potential costs in next month’s midterm elections.

But Republicans also faced sharp questions about the fallout in a fast-changing country that has seen the #MeToo movement gain prominence and Democratic voters electrified in opposition to President Donald Trump and to Kavanaugh.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., suggested that the GOP’s base voters could reward them with strong turnout for standing by Kavanaugh in the face of sexual assault allegations that prompted protests and outrage from both sides of the political aisle.

“We stood up to the mob,” McConnell said on “Fox News Sunday.” “We established that the presumption of innocence is still important. I’m proud of my colleagues.”

McConnell’s charged language was shared by other Republicans, who referred to Saturday’s near-party-line vote of 50 to 48 as both a galvanizing and polarizing moment.

“I’ve never been more pissed in my life,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a Trump ally, said on “Fox News Sunday.” “I’ve never campaigned against a colleague in my life. That’s about to change.”

Senate Democrats, disappointed by Kavanaugh’s ascension, argued that many voters nationally — and women, in particular — remain infuriated by Republicans’ treatment of Christine Blasey Ford, who detailed in emotional testimony her allegations that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were teenagers. Kavanaugh has denied the allegations.

Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, who gained national notice during the confirmation fight for urging men to “shut up and step up” in the wake of Ford’s allegations, said Democratic voters would be highly motivated to turn out and punish Republicans for the limited FBI probe of Kavanaugh following his hearing.

“He’s going to be on the Supreme Court with a huge taint and a big asterisk after his name,” Hirono said on ABC News’ “This Week.” “Everyone knows when you just interview a small number of people and not the dozens of others who wanted to be interviewed by the FBI, it’s a sham.”

Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y. — who would chair the House Judiciary Committee should Democrats win the House majority next month — has said he plans to launch an investigation of Kavanaugh if Democrats win power.

“Jerry Nadler will do what Jerry Nadler will do,” Hirono said, adding that she would not rule out an effort in the coming months to impeach the high court’s newest justice.

Other Democrats, however, took a different approach to the impeachment question, mere weeks ahead of the elections in which they are eager to rally their core voters and reach out to moderates and independents.

Sen. Christopher Coons, D-Del., was cautious when asked about the prospect of Democrats moving to impeach Kavanaugh should they hold the House majority.

“I think that’s premature,” Coons said on NBC News’ “Meet the Press.”

“We stood up to the mob. We established that the presumption of innocence is still important. I’m proud of my colleagues.” SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL