Jeff Flake (R - AZ) Definitely Yes 2018 election seat
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October 6: Voted Yes (The New York Times)
October 5: Flake also indicated that he plans to vote for Kavanaugh’s confirmation on Saturday “unless something big changes,” which he said he doesn’t expect — a move that further bolsters the judge’s prospects. (The Washington Post)
October 4: NEW: Asked by ABC News' @caphilltrish if he is leaning on voting "yes" on Brett Kavanaugh, Sen. Jeff Flake says, "Can't say anything but you can say that I was a 'yes' before this ... thus far, we’ve seen no new, credible corroboration" (Twitter)
October 2: Speaking with Jeffrey Rosen, the president of the National Constitution Center, and Democratic Senator Chris Coons at The Atlantic Festival on Tuesday morning, Flake called the judge’s interactions with lawmakers “sharp and partisan.” “We can’t have that on the Court,” said the Arizona senator, who didn’t elaborate on which interactions he was referring to. (The Washington Post)
September 30: Flake, who prompted the new FBI investigation by threatening to withhold his vote to confirm Kavanaugh, said in an interview with “60 Minutes” that investigators would “ask questions that maybe will prompt things” that could “lead to additional interviews that can take place as well.” He also said he found Kavanaugh’s testimony Thursday to be “partisan” at times and that “his interaction with some of the members was a little too sharp.” But, Flake said, he understood his anger. “If I was unjustly accused, that’s how I would feel, as well,” he said. (Note: We have not yet confirmed the exact date of these comments, but they appear to have taken place on or around 9/30/2018.) (The Washington Post)
September 28: It was a sleepless night. I was getting calls and emails for days from friends and acquaintances saying, “Here’s my story, here’s why I was emboldened to come out.” Dr. Ford’s testimony struck a chord, it really did, with a lot of women...Coppins: As of now, are you planning to vote to confirm Kavanaugh unless the FBI finds something in the next week that changes your mind? Flake: Yes. I’m a conservative. He’s a conservative. I plan to support him unless they turn up something—and they might. (The Atlantic)
September 28: What I do know is that our system of justice affords a presumption of innocence to the accused, absent corroborating evidence. That is what binds us to the rule of law. While some may argue that a different standard should apply regarding the Senate’s advice and consent responsibilities, I believe that the constitution’s provisions of fairness and due process apply here as well. I will vote to confirm Judge Kavanaugh. (senate.gov)
September 28: Sen. Flake says he’s not sure the FBI investigation will change minds: “I don’t know if any votes will change next week. But at least people can say that we had a better process. And we need that to try to unify the country.” Describing his feelings on Kavanaugh, a worn Sen. Flake pauses and says, “My preference is that we can go ahead and confirm this nominee. I’m a conservative, he’s a conservative. I planned on supporting him before all this came out.” He pauses once more. “And I hope that we can.“ Asked why he changed his mind today, an exasperated Senator Flake says, “This is ripping the country apart.” He pauses. “The calls I’ve been getting. The emails, the texts. It’s been rough to see.” He looks down. “We haven’t had a process we can be proud of.” Before disappearing into the elevators, Sen. Flake adds, “The Anita Hill investigation took just 3 days. So we think that we can move pretty fast.” (Twitter)
September 26: Flake says "winning at all costs is too high a cost" and that Kavanaugh and Blasey Ford are "human beings" who should be treated with respect, condemning the rancor in the debate. "We've lit a match, my colleagues. My question is: do we appreciate how close the powder keg is?" Jeff Flake says sexual assault is a serious allegation and asks what message it sends to young women if it is dismissed without "open minds" listening to both Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh. .@JeffFlake wraps his speech without indicating how he'll vote on Kavanaugh, but saying he takes the allegations seriously and will watch the hearing before deciding. (Twitter)
September 18: When Dr. Ford came forward, I said that her voice should be heard and asked the Judiciary Committee to delay its vote on Judge Kavanaugh. It did so. I now implore Dr. Ford to accept the invitation for Monday, in a public or private setting. The committee should hear her voice. (Twitter)
September 16: "If they push forward without any attempt with hearing what she's had to say, I'm not comfortable voting yes," Flake said. "We need to hear from her. And I don't think I'm alone in this." (Politico)
September 16: In an interview with The Post, Flake said that Ford “must be heard” before a committee vote. “I’ve made it clear that I’m not comfortable moving ahead with the vote on Thursday if we have not heard her side of the story or explored this further,” said Flake, who is one of the committee’s 21 members. Republicans hold an 11-to-10 majority on the panel, and Flake’s opposition to a vote could stall the nomination. Flake would not specify what form the communication with Ford should take or how he would vote. But he emphasized the significance of the allegations. “For me, we can’t vote until we hear more,” he said. (The Washington Post)
July 23: Jeff Flake says Kavanaugh's comments from '99 questioning the decision in US v. Nixon re: Watergate tapes will "be given a good hearing," but "nothing I've seen so far concerns me as grounds for not confirming him." (Twitter)
July 9: As I have said before, approving a nominee who will interpret the Constitution rather than legislate from the bench should be our top priority. I look forward to meeting with Judge Kavanaugh and reviewing his record throughout the confirmation process. (senate.gov)