Rand Paul: ‘Judge Kavanaugh Will Have My Support and My Vote’ for SCOTUS

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) backed Supreme Court Justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh on Monday.

“After meeting Judge Kavanaugh and reviewing his record, I have decided to support his nomination,” Sen. Paul said in a statement Monday.

Now that Paul backed Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court, there are few Republican senators who have yet to state if they will vote to confirm Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) are likely the two GOP holdouts on Kavanaugh.

Republicans have a slim majority in the Senate and need at least 50 Republican votes to confirm Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court, unless Democrats such as Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Joe Donnelly (D-IN) back Kavanaugh as well.

The Kentucky Republican previously expressed reservations about Kavanaugh’s opinion on privacy and national security. “I am very concerned about his position on privacy and the Fourth Amendment,” Paul said last week.

Sen. Paul explained, “I have expressed my concern over Judge Kavanaugh’s record on warrantless bulk collection of data and how that might apply to very important privacy cases before the Supreme Court.”

“Of course, my vote is not a single-issue vote, and much of my reading and conversation has been in trying to figure out exactly how good Judge Kavanaugh will be on other issues before the Court,” Paul added.

Sen. Paul also cheered Kavanaugh’s stances on the First and Second Amendments, due process, and “reining in the administrative statement.”

Paul contended:

On issues such as property rights and reining in the administrative state, Judge Kavanaugh has a strong record and showed a deep commitment during our meeting. His views on due process and mens rea show a thoughtful approach to the law and its applications. His views on war powers and separation of powers are encouraging.

“Finally, his strong defenses of the First and Second Amendments in landmark cases show someone who isn’t afraid to challenge the status quo and will fight with backbone,” Paul concluded. “Judge Kavanaugh will have my support and my vote to confirm him to the Supreme Court.”