WATCH LIVE: Susan Collins reveals her Kavanaugh vote
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Senators vote on Kavanaugh's nomination
By Brian Ries, Meg Wagner, Jessie Yeung, Veronica Rocha and Paul P. Murphy, CNN
Updated less than 1 min ago3:22 p.m. ET, October 5, 2018
Why Murkowski is a no on Kavanaugh
The Republican senator from Alaska voted no on cloture earlier this morning, and will vote no on the final confirmation vote expected to happen tomorrow.
In her own words, here's how she came to that decision:
“I don’t have a statement right now because I did not come to a decision on this until walking into the floor this morning. I have been wrestling to really try to know what is fair and what is right. And the truth is that none of this has been fair. This hasn’t been fair to the judge, but I also recognize that we need to have institutions that are viewed as fair. And if people who are victims, if people who feel there is no fairness in our system of government, particularly within our courts, we’ve gone down a path that is not good and right for this country. And so, I have been wrestling with whether or not this was about the qualifications of a good man or is this bigger than the nominee? And I believe we are dealing with issues right now that are bigger than a nominee, and how we ensure that our institutions, not only the legislative branch but our judicial branch, continue to be respected. This is what I’ve been wrestling with.
“And so I took the very, very difficult vote that I did. I believe that Brett Kavanaugh is a good man. I believe he is a good man. It just may be, that in my view, he’s not the right man for the court at this time. So I have taken my vote here this morning. I’m going to go back to my office and write a floor statement that is more fulsome. You’ll all have an opportunity to have that. But this has truly been the most difficult evaluation of, decision, that I’ve ever had to make. And I’ve made some interesting ones in my political career. But I value and respect where my colleagues have come down from and their support for the judge. But I also think we’re at a place where we need to be thinking again about the credibility and the integrity of our institutions.”
“I said I hadn’t made up my mind, so I didn’t have anything to change yet. That’s how my process has gone.”
Murkowski had been one of a handful of pivotal senators who remained publicly undecided on the nomination in the days leading up to Friday's vote.
The other senators who have been closely watched since it was not known how they would vote -- Republican Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona, Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia -- all voted "yes" on Friday.
That doesn't necessarily mean that Kavanaugh has locked in all the votes needed for confirmation, however, since it is possible that some of those senators could ultimately vote against final confirmation.
What to watch: Collins is expected to deliver a speech at 3 p.m. ET on Friday to announce her final decision.
Flake says he'll vote yes on Kavanaugh
Sen. Jeff Flake told MSNBC today that he will vote yes on Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation, unless something "big" were to happen.
"I don't see what would," Flake added. " But anyway, I'm glad we had a better process."
Earlier today, the Arizona Republican voted yes to advance Kavanaugh's nomination.
Where things stand: That leaves Susan Collins and Joe Manchin as the two remaining undecided senators. If both vote no, Kavanaugh is done. If one votes no and one votes yes, this thing stretches on a bit longer, but he'll be the next Supreme Court justice.
Cornyn: Collins hasn’t shared what she’ll say at 3 p.m. with leadership
From CNN's Phil Mattingly
Senator Cornyn just told reporters that Senator Collins has not shared what she will say at 3 p.m. ET today.
When asked what GOP leadership needs to do now to lock in the votes ahead of the final confirmation, Cornyn said “I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing. Stay in touch. Offer to help and listen to what their concerns are. Obviously, the next important step is when Sen. Collins speaks this afternoon.”
Murkowski a NO on Kavanaugh, says he's "not the right man for the court at this time"
From CNN's Jeremy Herb
Sen. Lisa Murkowski just explained her vote to reporters leaving the floor, calling it “the most difficult evaluation” she’s had to make.
“He’s not the right man for the court at this time,” she said. “So I have taken my vote here this morning. I’m going to go back to my office and write a floor statement that is more fulsome.”
Protesters outside Sen. Flake's office detained
Capitol Police just moved in to start detaining anti-Kavanaugh protesters who were seated outside Arizona Senator Jeff Flake's office.
Flake voted yes to invoke cloture on Kavanaugh, yet we don't know where he'll land in the final vote expected tomorrow.
Hundreds flood office of @JeffFlake after he votes for Kavanaugh on cloture; “the system is corrupt—and that’s why we disrupt!!!!”
Dozens being arrested right now.
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