Senators are gearing up for a committee vote on Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation after day of contentious hearings, but it’s unclear whether they can get him across the finish line

• The Senate Judiciary Committee will vote on Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court on Friday morning, after a day of contentious hearings during which Christine Blasey Ford testified about her claim that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her, and Kavanaugh testified in his own defense.
• If the committee’s confirmation vote on Friday lands in Kavanaugh’s favor, then senators would move forward with a procedural vote on the Senate floor Saturday. That could potentially set up a final confirmation vote next week.
• As of Thursday night, it remains unclear whether there will be enough votes to get Kavanaugh across the finish line.
• Ford’s accusation against Kavanaugh has been the subject of much political wrangling for more than a week. Those frustrations erupted during Ford’s and Kavanaugh’s testimony Thursday.

The Senate Judiciary Committee will vote on Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court on Friday morning, after a day of contentious hearings during which Christine Blasey Ford testified about her claim that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her, and Kavanaugh testified in his own defense.

If the committee’s confirmation vote on Friday lands in Kavanaugh’s favor, then senators would move forward with a procedural vote on the Senate floor Saturday. That could potentially set up a final confirmation vote next week.

It was unclear as of Thursday night whether senators have enough votes to get Kavanaugh across the finish line.

A few lawmakers, including Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, Bob Corker, and Jeff Flake, were seen as potential wild cards who could end up scuttling Kavanaugh’s confirmation if they prevent him from getting the 50 votes he needs for confirmation.

Ford’s accusation — and that of a second woman, Deborah Ramirez — has been the subject of heated political wrangling over the last week. Ford accuses Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her while the two were in high school in the 1980s. Ramirez accused Kavanaugh of exposing himself to her while they were in college at Yale.

Frustrations on both side played out in contentious hearings on Thursday.

Kavanaugh is Trump’s second nominee to the Supreme Court. His confirmation would establish a five-member conservative majority on the bench for the foreseeable future.