Will Trump Call Senators for Kavanaugh?

As the Senate moves toward bringing the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to a final vote, the odds on confirmation remains unclear.

Given the uncertainty surrounding the nomination, Newsmax asked the White House Wednesday, would the President himself telephone the undecided senators — especially in light of the strong language he used in Mississippi Tuesday to describe Kavanaugh accuser Dr. Christine Blasey Ford.

“I’m not aware of a specific scheduled call,” replied Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, “But we’ve certainly been in close contact with a number of members and will certainly do so right until the vote.”

Forty-eight Republican senators are considered in the “aye” column, with forty-seven Democratic senators opposed, and five undecided: Republicans Lisa Murkowski (Alas.),  Jeff Flake (Ariz.), and Susan Collins (Me.), and Democrats Heidi Heitkamp (ND) and Joe Manchin (WVA).

Presidents lobbying senators by phone for controversial nominations to the Supreme Court is nothing new.  So far, however, there is no sign of President Trump doing any such lobbying on Kavanaugh’s behalf.

But a former Republican president has phoned Murkowski, Flake, and Collins seeking confirmation of Kavanaugh:  George W. Bush, on whose White House staff the nominee and his wife served.

John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.