Kavanaugh to Dems: You might defeat my nomination but I won’t withdraw

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, appearing to speak to Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee during a hearing on Thursday, said his nomination might be defeated on the Senate floor but that he would not withdraw his name from consideration for the Supreme Court.

{mosads}”I will not be intimidated into withdrawing from this process. You’ve tried hard. You’ve given it your all. No one can question your effort,” Kavanaugh told members on the Judiciary Committee.

But he added that a “coordinated and well-funded effort” would not “drive me out.”

“You may defeat me in the final vote but you’ll never get me to quit. Never,” Kavanaugh told senators.

Kavanaugh’s nomination remains short of the simple majority needed to be confirmed by the full Senate.

His testimony comes as several moderate senators in both parties remain undecided, even as the Senate could vote as early as next week.

Kavanaugh was thought to have an easy path to confirmation following his first hearing earlier this month. His nomination quickly derailed, however, following allegations of sexual misconduct being brought against him by multiple women.

Christine Blasey Ford, the first woman to accuse Kavanaugh of sexual assault publicly, testified before the committee on Thursday morning, prior to Kavanaugh.

In an emotional testimony, Ford appeared to choke back tears as she described an incident in which she said Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed at a high school party in the early 1980s, attempting to remove her clothing.

In a breathless voice, Ford told the Senate Judiciary Committee how she thought Kavanaugh might accidentally kill her when he put his hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming after pinning her down to a bed and groping her.

In testimony following Ford’s appearance before the committee, Kavanaugh once again denied Ford’s allegations.

Two other women have come forward publicly accusing Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct. He has also denied those allegations.