WASHINGTON _ Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) said Friday that he would vote to approve Brett Kavanaugh for a Supreme Court seat, a key gesture of support that makes the nominee's confirmation more likely.
Flake said he left Thursday's extraordinary hearing with Palo Alto professor Christine Blasey Ford with "as much doubt as certainty." She has accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when both were in high school. Kavanaugh denies the allegation.
"I believe that the constitution's provisions of fairness and due process apply here as well. I will vote to confirm Judge Kavanaugh," Flake said.
The announcement from Flake came as the Senate Judiciary Committee said it would vote at 1:30 p.m Eastern on whether to advance Kavanaugh's nomination. The vote is expected to be successful.
Democrats on the panel balked at the decision to hold a vote, with several members walking out of the committee meeting shortly after the schedule was announced.
"Voting to advance and ultimately confirm Judge Kavanaugh while he's under this dark cloud of suspicion ... will politicize the U.S. Supreme Court, the branch of our government that should be above politics," said Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.).
A preliminary vote by the full Senate is likely to take place Saturday with a final vote next week.
Flake was one of several undecided senators. Republicans hold a slim 51-seat majority in the Senate and will need nearly every vote to confirm Kavanaugh amid strong Democratic opposition.
Republicans are confident they will have the 50 votes needed to confirm the nomination, but two key senators have not yet said how they will vote: Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
