Who Gon Stop Kavanaugh?
It’s really simple math. 50+1 gets Donald Trump, a President under investigation and named by his longtime lawyer as a co-conspirator in several federal crimes, another opportunity to give someone a lifetime appointment on the bench.

For GOP leadership, Mitch McConnell foremost among them, it’s a means to an end. Remember when they complained about Democrats “ramming” Obamacare through? These are the same Republicans who have kept 96% of Kavanaugh’s records away from Senators who want to comb through the documents.
Who gon stop me huh?
It’s a Kanye lyric. A fitting one for this nomination fight. Trump’s lived his entire life with this mantra, and he’s living it now. And the Dems alone can’t stop him from getting Kavanaugh to the Court.
But perhaps there are two Republicans who can. Two Senators willing to channel some Mcain-Maverick energy. Two Senators who will put country over party, principle over politics.
A Senator’s Last Stand
Actually, there are a few possibilities. First, a group of Senators who aren’t seeking reelection: Jeff Flake, Bob Corker, and Orrin Hatch. They’re not beholden to this President, partisan pressures, donors, or anyone but their own consciouses. Second, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, two Senators who have bucked Trump and party leadership before.
Jeff Flake (AZ)

Flake’s distaste for Trump or the current GOP is no secret. He votes against Trump 16.7% of the time. That’s some McCain-level Maverick-ness (he’s was at 17%).
It’s Flake’s disillusionment with his party (and being outflaked on the right) that’s prompted his exit from the Senate. And he announced his exit with his book, Conscious of a Conservative. Here’s Flake’s call to action to his party.
“When the next generation asks us, why didn’t you do something? Why didn’t you speak up? What are we going to say? Mr. President, I rise today to say, enough. We must dedicate ourselves to making sure that the anomalous never becomes the normal.
With respect and humility, I must say that we have fooled ourselves for long enough that a pivot to governing is right around the corner, civility and stability right behind it.
We know better than that. By now, we all know better than that.”
Bob Corker (TN)

Another Trump critic on his way out. Another one who bucks the President 16+% of the time.
“He concerns me. He would have to concern anyone who cares about our nation.”
Orrin Hatch (UT)
Ok, never gonna happen. The outgoing Utah Senator goes with Trump 96.1% of the time. Only Cindy-Hyde-Smith (MS) and John Cornyn (TX) have higher Trump Scores.
Lisa Murkowski (AK)

Murkowski ran as an independent after losing the GOP primary. Alaksans have a fierce independent streak, and Murkowski has channeled that before.
She urged each Senator to do the requisite due diligence before the vote. Of course, that’s hard with 96% of the nominee’s record isn’t available for the Senators to review. Here’s what she said on the process.
“I think that there is a process — that process needs to be fair, it needs to be open. We all, every member of the United States Senate has an equal obligation to thoroughly vet this nominee. And we will come down on one side or the other but in due deference to the nominee and in due deference to the president’s prerogative to name a nominee. We have an obligation to thoroughly work through this advice and consent process.”
Objectively, it’s not open, and the Senate cannot fulfill its obligation to “thoroughly vet” Kavanaugh. The advice and consent process is not working as these hearings move forward.
Susan Collins (ME)

Finally, Senator Collins, who has a Trump Score of 78.9%, second lowest in the GOP next to Rand Paul at 74%.
Here’s what she said about meeting Kavanaugh in late August.
“As has been my practice, I will continue to review Judge Kavanaugh’s record and will closely follow the hearings before reaching a decision on whether to support the nomination.”
Once again, the record isn’t available. And she knows this. By her own standard, the decision is going to be hard to reach without these documents.
Two votes from this group (assuming Democrats show unity), and Kavanaugh will join Robert Bork as a rejected nominee. Two Justices already linked by the man who’s leaving the bench, Anthony Kennedy. Kennedy was Reagan’s replacement nominee after Bork, and Kavanaugh clerked for Kennedy, a man he called a “mentor, a friend, and a hero.”
