Brett Kavanaugh vote - LIVE: Swing voters Susan Collins and Joe Manchin announce they will vote yes
Donald Trump tweeted he was 'very proud' of the Senate's roll call vote
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Your support makes all the difference.The US Senate is likely set to place Brett Kavanaugh's on the Supreme Court after swing vote Senators declare they will vote to confirm Donald Trump's second nominee to the highest court in the country.
Senators were provided up to 30 hours to debate ahead of a final vote on the embattled nominee, who has been accused of sexual assault and misconduct by numerous women, primarily Christine Blasey Ford. However, Republican Senators Susan Collins and Jeff Flake as well Democratic Senator Joe Manchin have already said they support the nomination.
The final tally in Mr Kavanaugh’s procedural vote was 51-49, setting the stage for lawmakers to likely cast their final votes on the nominee over the weekend. Mr Trump celebrated the move, writing on Twitter, "Very proud of the US Senate for voting ‘YES’ to advance the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh!"
Protests still continue on Capitol Hill as women are openly weeping over the likelihood of Mr Kavanaugh's lifetime appointment.
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"People with pre-existing [health] conditions should want a Justice with" Mr Kavanaugh's approach to protecting healthcare laws.
She's listing - and refuting - objections her constituents have voiced to her about Mr Kavanaugh.
"Supreme Court Justices have not hesitated to rule against the presidents who have nominated them," Ms Collins said, citing rulings against Presidents Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon by justices whom they nominated.
Ms Collins is now detailing how the Supreme Court is impartial, regardless of the political affiliations of the individual nine Justices in an apparent attempt to show Mr Kavanaugh would also behave accordingly.
She is now citing the 2015 ruling to make gay marriage legal, which was made possible by Republican-nominated Chief Justice John Roberts.
One of the bigger concerns of protesters is Mr Kavanaugh's possible overturn of the landmark case of Roe v. Wade which guaranteed a right to privacy over a woman's body and paved the way for legal abortions.
Ms Collins said Mr Kavanaugh's views on precedent are solid and that she believes he will not overturn the precedent of that particular case.
Ms Collins is giving the Senate floor - and the country - a history lesson on the Supreme Court's precedent setting.
Ms Collins said she confirmed with Mr Kavanaugh that he would not overturn any cases which reaffirmed Roe v. Wade as well.
She pointed to opposition to Justice David Souter, who was initially opposed by groups like Planned Parenthood and how just two years later Mr Souter ruled in favour of a case regarding abortion rights.
"Prominent advocacy organisations have been wrong," she said.
Ms Collins is now running through a list of endorsements Mr Kavanaugh has received, indicating her likely vote to put him on the Court.
She said he is "remarkably committed" to promoting the legal careers of women.
Ms Collins is noting how Merrick Garland, the judge nominated by Barack Obama who was never given a confirmation hearing by Republicans, ruled very similarly to Mr Kavanaugh on a number of issues.
Senate Republicans said Mr Garland could not get a hearing in 2016 because it was a presidential election year and it felt like a "lame duck" appointment as Mr Obama was leaving office.
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