Conservative columnist melts down: A Kavanaugh defeat will show the 'resistance is effective' and can destroy the GOP

Writing for the conservative Wall Street Journal, a staunch defender of President Donald Trump barely contained her fury with Republicans as she sees the possibility of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh being seated slipping away.

According to Kimberley Strassel, "For now, the distinguished circuit-court judge is on track for confirmation. Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley has handled Christine Blasey Ford’s 36-year-old accusation with enormous accommodation, inviting her to give evidence in any manner of her choosing—a public or private hearing, in Washington or California, in person or over the phone."

"But with Democrats and their media allies stopping at nothing to derail this nomination, even confident Republicans have been forced to consider the prospect of a defeat," she continued. "A few GOP optimists, inside and outside the White House, are spreading the claim that a Kavanaugh loss could have a midterm upside. The argument: Candidates would light up the base by highlighting Democrats’ ambush tactics. President Trump would name a new nominee, and voters would rush to the polls to guarantee a GOP Senate and an ultimate confirmation."

"And then a flock of porcine wonders will fly," she bitterly added.

According to Strassel a defeat for Kavanaugh would have a devastating effect on the future of the Republican Party, emboldening liberals and exposing conservatives as weak and unwilling to put up a fight for a pivotal 5th conservative vote on the Supreme Court.

"Wiser Republicans note there’s a reason Spartacus [Sen. Cory Booker --D-NJ] & Co. are working so hard to defeat this nomination. It’s partly because they despise Judge Kavanaugh’s philosophy and fear a fifth conservative on the high court, " she wrote. "But it is mostly because it is a fabulous issue with the Democratic base. Nothing would more energize that part of the electorate than a Kavanaugh scalp."

She then warned, "It would signal the 'resistance' is effective and spur an avalanche of votes for liberal candidates who promise continued obstruction of Mr. Trump’s agenda."

According to Strassel, allowing Kavanaugh to go down in flames would turn off the hardcore GOP base who prefer their Republicans unyielding like Trump.

"Republican voters? Oh yes, the base is furious over the Democratic treatment of Judge Kavanaugh. They are angry over the theatrical and uncivil hearings. They are riled up over this late and dirty Democratic hit, the releasing of an accuser’s letter months after it was first obtained," she raged. "But listen to those base voters on Twitter, on radio, in public forums. They are prepared to release most of their rage over any Kavanaugh defeat on the Republican Party. One of their abiding complaints is that GOP politicians too easily succumb to liberal tactics. It is among the most-cited reasons they voted for Mr. Trump—that (for better or worse) he doesn’t back down."

"These voters handed Republicans control of the White House and Congress in large part to oversee these Supreme Court fights. Republicans have 51 votes, a sterling candidate, and no excuses," she wrote before threatening, "Good luck to any GOP candidate who turns around and promises a new nominee after a Kavanaugh fail. Why would or should voters believe Republicans would get it done the next time?"

"A newly minted Justice Kavanaugh is a crucial part of any winning 2018 message," she concluded. "It won’t guarantee that they’ll win the midterms and retain their majorities. But it will guard against the drubbing they’d receive from their own voters if they bow now to Chuck Schumer’s underhanded tactics."

You can read the whole piece here (subscription required).