WASHINGTON — The debate on the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to wrap up this weekend, as Barrett is expected to be confirmed by a full Senate vote Monday.
Even in the home stretch, though, there have been surprises.
This weekend, a Republican senator who has criticized the timing of the hearings finally announced how she will be voting.
"I do not believe that moving forward on a nominee just over a week removed from a pitched presidential election when partisan tensions are running about as high as they could...will help our country become a better version of itself," Sen. Lisa Murkowski said.
The Alaska Republican doubled down this weekend on her opposition to holding confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominees close to national elections.
"But frankly," Murkowski said, "I've lost that procedural fight."
The Republican-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee advanced Judge Amy Coney Barrett to a final vote by the full Senate.
"We did it," said Senator Lindsey Graham, who chairs the committee. "Judge Barrett's going to the floor."
Murkowski said now that there's no chance to stop the proceedings, she believes she must vote on Barrett's qualifications.
"At the end of the process is the substantive question of whether Judge Barrett should be categorically rejected as an Associate Justice in order to underscore my procedural objection," Murkowski said.
"I believe that the only way to put us back on the path of appropriate consideration of judicial nominees is to evaluate Judge Barrett as we would want to be judged: on the merits of her qualifications," she continued. "We do that when that final question comes before us and when it does, I will be a yes."
Meanwhile, Senate Democrats argue the vote should wait until after Nov. 3.
"Withdraw the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett until after the election," said Senator Chuck Schumer. "Plain and simple."
With Murkowski's announcement, Senator Susan Collins of Maine now appears to be the only Senate Republican who may vote against Barrett's confirmation.