Daily Brew: Kavanaugh confirmation hearings expected to follow similar timeframe to Gorsuch process

July 18, 2018

Martha Roby defeats Bobby Bright in AL-02 runoff + McConnell expects a Kavanaugh confirmation by Oct. 1   Welcome to the Wednesday, July 18 Brew. Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: Martha Roby defeats Bobby Bright in AL-02 runoff McConnell expects a Kavanaugh confirmation by Oct. 1 Temporary halt to the deportation of reunited families issued by Judge Dana Sabraw of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California   Martha Roby defeats Bobby Bright in AL-02 runoff Incumbent Rep. Martha Roby (R) defeated challenger Bobby Bright (R) in the Republican primary runoff for Alabama's 2nd Congressional District. With 52 percent of precincts reporting, Roby had received 67.0 percent of the vote to Bright's 33.0 percent. Roby and Bright were the top two finishers in a June 5 Republican primary for the seat in which Roby received 39.0 percent of the vote to Bright's 28.1 percent. They advanced to a runoff since no candidate received a majority. Bright was elected to represent the district in 2008 as a Democrat, serving a single term before being unseated by Roby in the 2010 election. While in Congress, Bright voted with then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) less than 50 percent of the time and ran ads describing himself as an "independent conservative". In his campaign materials, Bright pointed to Roby's criticism of then-candidate Donald Trump (R) during the 2016 presidential election. Roby highlighted her work with the president after he took office. President Trump endorsed Roby in a June 22 tweet. Click here for more results ​​​​​​​from last night          McConnell: Kavanaugh confirmation hearings to begin in late August, early September Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he expects Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings to begin in late August or early September. That would mean the hearings would fall 7-8 weeks after President Trump first nominated Kavanaugh, similar to the timeline between Neil Gorsuch's nomination and his confirmation hearings, which were approximately seven weeks apart. McConnell also stated that he is expecting the Senate to confirm Kavanaugh by October 1. Here's where we're tracking the updates → Judge Sabraw orders temporary halt to deportation of reunited families United States District Court for the Southern District of California Judge Dana Sabraw, a George W. Bush appointee, ordered a temporary halt on Monday to the deportation of families reunited under his June 26 ruling. In that ruling, Sabraw ordered that children who had been separated from parents crossing the border illegally must be returned to their families.  Sabraw made the new order at the request of the ACLU, which argued that it was necessary due to "persistent and increasing rumors — which [federal officials] have refused to deny — that mass deportations may be carried out imminently and immediately upon reunification." Sabraw gave federal officials one week to file a response in opposition. Sabraw's order is the most recent in a series of events taking place in response to an executive order signed by President Donald Trump (R) last month directing the Department of Homeland Security to keep detained families together. For more on the timeline of this case, click here→