Brett Kavanaugh's nomination could have huge impact on midterm elections
Update: The Senate confirmed Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court on Saturday with a final vote of 50-48.
Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court — and likely confirmation — could have a huge impact on midterm elections, now about a month away.
On Friday, reaction to Sen. Susan Collin's speech in support of Kavanaugh was immediate from Maine Democrats. It was another indication of the intensity felt on both sides of the debate.
In Rochester, Minnesota, on Thursday, the line for President Trump's rally seemed endless, and so was the anger toward Democrats over their treatment of Kavanaugh.
"Voting is going to be a high turnout, just because of what the Democrats are doing. I think they've pissed people off and they kind of dug their own grave," one person said.
Inside the arena, Mr. Trump echoed that thought.
"Their rage-fueled resistance is starting to backfire at a level that nobody has ever seen before," he said.
That's an exaggeration. But one new poll shows that the enthusiasm gap in favor of Democrats has shrunk from 10 percent to 2 percent.
"Democrats say they'd be angry if Judge Kavanaugh is confirmed. Republicans said they'd be angry if he wasn't," said Anthony Salvanto, CBS News' director of elections and surveys. "So the question now would be if Democrats can turn that anger into turnout and sustain that motivation into November."
Democrats outside the rally said they're not just angry -- they're mad as hell.
"We believe Dr. Ford. People don't just come forward for no reason," said Newell Mott.
They said they're furious that President Trump mocked Christine Blasey Ford's emotional testimony.
"How did you get there? I don't remember. Where is the place? I don't remember. How many years ago was it? I don't know," Mr. Trump said.
"The blue wave is coming," said Julie Fryer. "It is coming and I think they need to realize we're not going to stand by any longer."