Is anyone surprised?   Montana U.S. Sen. Jon Tester said Friday he'll vote against Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court, removing himself from the short list of undecided Democratic senators who are up for re-election in states won by President Donald Trump.

Tester's decision is sure to be used as campaign fodder by his Republican opponent, State Auditor Matt Rosendale, and by outside groups like the National Rifle Association, which previously launched an ad campaign against Tester for his last three Supreme Court confirmation votes.

Tester's announcement came the day after an emotional Senate Judiciary Committee hearing that featured Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford describing allegations of the judge's sexual assault of her when they were teenagers, and Kavanaugh angrily defending himself.

Tester cited Ford's allegations, which a spokeswoman said the senator found credible and disturbing, and the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals judge's record as reasons for his no vote.

"I have concerns that Judge Kavanaugh defended the Patriot Act instead of Montanans' privacy," Tester said in a statement. "I have concerns about his support for more dark money in politics. I have concerns about who he believes is in charge of making personal health decisions. And I have deep concerns about the allegations of sexual assault against Judge Kavanaugh."

 

More From 103.7 The Hawk