Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Susan Collins (R-ME) are now three of the key final lawmakers who remain undecided. (Photo: Getty images)
Oct 04, 2018
With mass protests on Capitol Hill Thursday afternoon and a procedural vote set for Friday, North Dakota's Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp has declared she is a firm "no" on the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh, leaving Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) as the last remaining Democrat still on the fence against the historically unpopular and controversial Supreme Court nominee.
"The process has been bad but at the end of the day you have to make a decision and I have made that decision," Heitkamp told local radio station WDAY radio in Fargo, North Dakota. "I will be voting no on Judge Kavanaugh."
In addition to the intensified focus it puts on Manchin's decision, Heitkamp's announcement also puts heightened pressure on the three key Republicans: Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Jeff Flake of Arizona - all three of whom have expressed reservations about Kavanaugh and all three facing increased protests from their own consituents and the broader American public.
\u201cKavanaugh's fate comes down to 5 senators. Here's where they are, as of a few minutes ago:\n\nHeitkamp \ud83d\udc4e\nManchin \u2753\nFlake \u2753\nCollins \u2753\nMurkowski \u2049\ufe0f\u201d— Jennifer Bendery (@Jennifer Bendery) 1538677193
In her comments, Heitkamp said that last week's testimony by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, and the outpouring of women's voices since, was a serious consideration in her final decision.
"When I listened to Dr. Ford testify, I heard the voices of women I have known throughout my life who have similar stories of sexual assault and abuse," Heitkamp said. "Our actions right now are a poignant signal to young girls and women across our country. I will continue to stand up for them."
\u201cThere are few tougher people than my colleague, @HeidiHeitkamp. Let's have her back in a tough fight this November\u2192 https://t.co/ZQ5jy7uDg9\nhttps://t.co/JVVPRZ3HsN\u201d— Kamala Harris (@Kamala Harris) 1538686671
News of Heitkamp's "no" came as West Virginian voters maintained an ongoing occupation of Manchin's office in the U.S. Senate Building:
\u201cHEITKAMP VOTNG NO!!!!! Waiting in Manchin\u2019s office now\u201d— Kayla Young (@Kayla Young) 1538677785
While both Collins and Flake indicated their satisfaction with the report generated by the FBI and handed over for senator's to review on Thursday, they--along with Murkowski--remain the target of protesters who have vowed not to give up until Kavanaugh's confirmation is defeated:
\u201c#Senate phones are ringing off the hook - keep it up! Leave (another) voice message, then RT & demand @SenatorCollins #BelieveSurvivors & #StopKavanaugh!\u201d— MoveOn (@MoveOn) 1538682905
\u201cHappening now: @NAPAWF_AZ alongside AZ residents & orgs demanding @JeffFlake #CancelKavanugh #StopKanavaugh #BelieveSurvivors @ultraviolet\u201d— NAPAWF (@NAPAWF) 1538679781
\u201cThousands of Americans join at the Supreme Court led by @womensmarch and sexual assault survivors to protest Kavanaugh nomination \u2014 ME & AK & AZ women & men call on @SenatorCollins @lisamurkowski @JeffFlake to believe survivors and vote NO.\u201d— Michael Kink (@Michael Kink) 1538675691
\u201cSo true! Cause how do @SenatorCollins @lisamurkowski @Sen_JoeManchin @JeffFlake sell out America and women and look yourself in the mirror for the rest of your life! U will be labeled the 4 that sold out American Women!!\u201d— John Leguizamo (@John Leguizamo) 1538683538
\u201cEvery Democratic Senator must be on the record as \u201cno" - & it's unacceptable that waffling Senate Republicans like Flake, Collins, & Murkowski have claimed to be satisfied by this sham investigation. They must listen to their constituents, who want them to #StopKavanaugh.\u201d— Indivisible Guide (@Indivisible Guide) 1538672158
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With mass protests on Capitol Hill Thursday afternoon and a procedural vote set for Friday, North Dakota's Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp has declared she is a firm "no" on the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh, leaving Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) as the last remaining Democrat still on the fence against the historically unpopular and controversial Supreme Court nominee.
"The process has been bad but at the end of the day you have to make a decision and I have made that decision," Heitkamp told local radio station WDAY radio in Fargo, North Dakota. "I will be voting no on Judge Kavanaugh."
In addition to the intensified focus it puts on Manchin's decision, Heitkamp's announcement also puts heightened pressure on the three key Republicans: Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Jeff Flake of Arizona - all three of whom have expressed reservations about Kavanaugh and all three facing increased protests from their own consituents and the broader American public.
\u201cKavanaugh's fate comes down to 5 senators. Here's where they are, as of a few minutes ago:\n\nHeitkamp \ud83d\udc4e\nManchin \u2753\nFlake \u2753\nCollins \u2753\nMurkowski \u2049\ufe0f\u201d— Jennifer Bendery (@Jennifer Bendery) 1538677193
In her comments, Heitkamp said that last week's testimony by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, and the outpouring of women's voices since, was a serious consideration in her final decision.
"When I listened to Dr. Ford testify, I heard the voices of women I have known throughout my life who have similar stories of sexual assault and abuse," Heitkamp said. "Our actions right now are a poignant signal to young girls and women across our country. I will continue to stand up for them."
\u201cThere are few tougher people than my colleague, @HeidiHeitkamp. Let's have her back in a tough fight this November\u2192 https://t.co/ZQ5jy7uDg9\nhttps://t.co/JVVPRZ3HsN\u201d— Kamala Harris (@Kamala Harris) 1538686671
News of Heitkamp's "no" came as West Virginian voters maintained an ongoing occupation of Manchin's office in the U.S. Senate Building:
\u201cHEITKAMP VOTNG NO!!!!! Waiting in Manchin\u2019s office now\u201d— Kayla Young (@Kayla Young) 1538677785
While both Collins and Flake indicated their satisfaction with the report generated by the FBI and handed over for senator's to review on Thursday, they--along with Murkowski--remain the target of protesters who have vowed not to give up until Kavanaugh's confirmation is defeated:
\u201c#Senate phones are ringing off the hook - keep it up! Leave (another) voice message, then RT & demand @SenatorCollins #BelieveSurvivors & #StopKavanaugh!\u201d— MoveOn (@MoveOn) 1538682905
\u201cHappening now: @NAPAWF_AZ alongside AZ residents & orgs demanding @JeffFlake #CancelKavanugh #StopKanavaugh #BelieveSurvivors @ultraviolet\u201d— NAPAWF (@NAPAWF) 1538679781
\u201cThousands of Americans join at the Supreme Court led by @womensmarch and sexual assault survivors to protest Kavanaugh nomination \u2014 ME & AK & AZ women & men call on @SenatorCollins @lisamurkowski @JeffFlake to believe survivors and vote NO.\u201d— Michael Kink (@Michael Kink) 1538675691
\u201cSo true! Cause how do @SenatorCollins @lisamurkowski @Sen_JoeManchin @JeffFlake sell out America and women and look yourself in the mirror for the rest of your life! U will be labeled the 4 that sold out American Women!!\u201d— John Leguizamo (@John Leguizamo) 1538683538
\u201cEvery Democratic Senator must be on the record as \u201cno" - & it's unacceptable that waffling Senate Republicans like Flake, Collins, & Murkowski have claimed to be satisfied by this sham investigation. They must listen to their constituents, who want them to #StopKavanaugh.\u201d— Indivisible Guide (@Indivisible Guide) 1538672158
With mass protests on Capitol Hill Thursday afternoon and a procedural vote set for Friday, North Dakota's Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp has declared she is a firm "no" on the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh, leaving Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) as the last remaining Democrat still on the fence against the historically unpopular and controversial Supreme Court nominee.
"The process has been bad but at the end of the day you have to make a decision and I have made that decision," Heitkamp told local radio station WDAY radio in Fargo, North Dakota. "I will be voting no on Judge Kavanaugh."
In addition to the intensified focus it puts on Manchin's decision, Heitkamp's announcement also puts heightened pressure on the three key Republicans: Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Jeff Flake of Arizona - all three of whom have expressed reservations about Kavanaugh and all three facing increased protests from their own consituents and the broader American public.
\u201cKavanaugh's fate comes down to 5 senators. Here's where they are, as of a few minutes ago:\n\nHeitkamp \ud83d\udc4e\nManchin \u2753\nFlake \u2753\nCollins \u2753\nMurkowski \u2049\ufe0f\u201d— Jennifer Bendery (@Jennifer Bendery) 1538677193
In her comments, Heitkamp said that last week's testimony by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, and the outpouring of women's voices since, was a serious consideration in her final decision.
"When I listened to Dr. Ford testify, I heard the voices of women I have known throughout my life who have similar stories of sexual assault and abuse," Heitkamp said. "Our actions right now are a poignant signal to young girls and women across our country. I will continue to stand up for them."
\u201cThere are few tougher people than my colleague, @HeidiHeitkamp. Let's have her back in a tough fight this November\u2192 https://t.co/ZQ5jy7uDg9\nhttps://t.co/JVVPRZ3HsN\u201d— Kamala Harris (@Kamala Harris) 1538686671
News of Heitkamp's "no" came as West Virginian voters maintained an ongoing occupation of Manchin's office in the U.S. Senate Building:
\u201cHEITKAMP VOTNG NO!!!!! Waiting in Manchin\u2019s office now\u201d— Kayla Young (@Kayla Young) 1538677785
While both Collins and Flake indicated their satisfaction with the report generated by the FBI and handed over for senator's to review on Thursday, they--along with Murkowski--remain the target of protesters who have vowed not to give up until Kavanaugh's confirmation is defeated:
\u201c#Senate phones are ringing off the hook - keep it up! Leave (another) voice message, then RT & demand @SenatorCollins #BelieveSurvivors & #StopKavanaugh!\u201d— MoveOn (@MoveOn) 1538682905
\u201cHappening now: @NAPAWF_AZ alongside AZ residents & orgs demanding @JeffFlake #CancelKavanugh #StopKanavaugh #BelieveSurvivors @ultraviolet\u201d— NAPAWF (@NAPAWF) 1538679781
\u201cThousands of Americans join at the Supreme Court led by @womensmarch and sexual assault survivors to protest Kavanaugh nomination \u2014 ME & AK & AZ women & men call on @SenatorCollins @lisamurkowski @JeffFlake to believe survivors and vote NO.\u201d— Michael Kink (@Michael Kink) 1538675691
\u201cSo true! Cause how do @SenatorCollins @lisamurkowski @Sen_JoeManchin @JeffFlake sell out America and women and look yourself in the mirror for the rest of your life! U will be labeled the 4 that sold out American Women!!\u201d— John Leguizamo (@John Leguizamo) 1538683538
\u201cEvery Democratic Senator must be on the record as \u201cno" - & it's unacceptable that waffling Senate Republicans like Flake, Collins, & Murkowski have claimed to be satisfied by this sham investigation. They must listen to their constituents, who want them to #StopKavanaugh.\u201d— Indivisible Guide (@Indivisible Guide) 1538672158
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