Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Facing Pressure From Tough Reelection Race, Manchin Becomes First Democratic Senator To Talk With Kavanaugh
Senator Joe Manchin III of West Virginia broke with his party on Monday to become the first Democrat to meet with Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, President Trump’s Supreme Court pick, as the two parties escalated their feud over access to documents relating to the nominee. Mr. Manchin, who faces a tough fight for re-election in a state that Mr. Trump won handily in 2016, is central to the Democrats’ uphill battle to defeat Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination, and is under intense pressure at home from both sides. If he votes to confirm Judge Kavanaugh, he will infuriate Democratic voters. But if he votes against confirmation, he risks his own Senate seat. (Stolberg and Shear, 7/30)
The first Democratic senator to sit down with Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh said Monday he’s not ready to say how he’ll vote, but Kavanaugh did pick up the backing of Kentucky’s Rand Paul, the only Republican in the narrowly divided Senate to have outwardly wavered in possible support. Paul said he will back Kavanaugh despite misgivings about the judge’s views on surveillance and privacy issues. Few had expected Paul would oppose President Donald Trump’s choice in the end. (Freking, 7/30)
