This breed of Democrat knows whats at stake and they know the pressure theyre going to face
By Matt Vespa
Judge Brett Kavanaugh is going to be a weeks-long torment for some on Capitol Hill and Im talking about Red State Democrats. The national party could ostracize them freezing them out from much needed help on Voter Outreach Grassroots Work even Financial Backing if they vote for President Donald Trumps Supreme Court nominee especially when they think Roe v. Wade is going to be overturned.
Senate Republican moderates Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski have been very receptive to Kavanaughs nomination easing pressure from the right that they could sink this SCOTUS nominee if they defect. That could be the case but for now pressure has ramped up on Senators:
Jon Tester (D-MT)- Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND)
- Joe Manchin (D-WV)
- Joe Donnelly (D-IN)
- and maybe Bill Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson needs help. Republican Gov. Rick Scott is outworking him on Hispanic outreach and hes beating Nelson with older voters who are more likely to turnout in November. A vote for Trumps nominee could boost his chances of eking out a win and that goes for the rest of the bunch.
The downside is that theyll be persona non grata in the party.
Then again in the nightmare scenario the GOP could pick-up all of these seats.
Yet this breed of Democrat knows whats at stake and they know the pressure theyre going to face as we approach the hearings and final vote. Hence why many are bolting from the press on the Hill (via The Hill):
Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) kept her cellphone glued to her ear whenever she walked through public hallways making it impossible for journalists to ask her about Kavanaughs record.
Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) pleaded that he was losing his voice and urged one reporter for The New York Times to look at my statement."
Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) bolted from the Capitol out of the first floor exit instead of taking the Senate subway where most reporters camp out. …
Senate Democrats admitted it will be difficult to defeat Kavanaugh with only 49 seats in their caucus but their goal is to inflict as much political damage on the GOP as 
possible ahead of the November midterm elections.
We have to lower the expectations of our base. We cant defeat the nominee on our own" said a Democratic senator who requested anonymity to discuss internal party deliberations.
Well its the only thing theyve got but Im confident that the damage will be minimal.
Will the Left be energized? Yes but so will Republicans who turnout in greater numbers in off years. The notion that Democrats could destroy the agenda thats created a booming economy record low unemployment and record high scores in consumer and small business confidence will get the GOP to the polls.
The conservative appointments to the court will as well.
Also the pervasive criticism and overreactions from Democrats and their allies in the media have forced Trump skeptics Republicans within the GOP to defend him.
As we draw closer to Election Day its no secret why McConnell wants to have a final vote on Kavanaugh by early October. It does place the Democrats in a jam.
Money spent against the GOP could be diverted towards their own members to remind them whats at stake.
There is no relief in this situation. Theyre all backed into the corner.
Matt Vespa is the Associate Editor at Townhall.com. He previously worked for CNSNews.com and was the recipient of Americans for Prosperity Foundations 2013 Andrew Breitbart Award for Excellence in Online Activism & Investigative Reporting.
