Kavanaugh gets to work on Capitol Hill

President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee is making the rounds on Capitol Hill, the first step in a lengthy Senate confirmation process. Vice President Mike Pence made courtesy calls to senators with Brett Kavanaugh on Tuesday, telling lawmakers he’s the right man for the job. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said Wednesday as he met with Kavanaugh that he expected the Senate to confirm him. “There will be the usual attempts to sully his reputation not only in the Senate but outside the Senate, but he’ll be able to handle it and I have every confidence he’ll be confirmed,” Hatch said.

As expected, a deep partisan divide is already growing over Kavanaugh’s nomination. “I’m going to fight this nomination with everything I’ve got,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Tuesday. “We must defeat Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination to the bench to save women’s reproductive freedom, to save healthcare protections for millions.” But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he’s optimistic that not all Senate Democrats will see it that way. Republican leaders hope to have Kavanaugh confirmed and seated before November’s midterm elections.