GOP women in hot seat over Trump mocking Ford, vote looming

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump era has, at times, been uncomfortable for Republican women, especially the six senators who will be asked to vote for Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation by week's end.

They've listened to a recording of President Donald Trump boasting of grabbing women without their consent. They've heard the president characterize his female critics as liars, ugly and "a dog." Now Trump has ridiculed Christine Blasey Ford, who accuses Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her in high school — a claim Kavanaugh denies.

Recent polls show a majority of women think the Senate should not confirm Kavanaugh. But Republican women, like GOP men, are overwhelmingly sticking with the nominee.

Here's a look at how it's playing out across the American political landscape:

___

GOP: NO PROOF, SO VOTE

Ford testified nearly a week ago. So did Kavanaugh. The clock is ticking on the FBI's investigation of her claims, as well as any other credible allegations against Kavanaugh.

But Republican leaders are done waiting. Trump mocked what he described as the holes in Ford's story and suggested that the people in peril nowadays are men like Kavanaugh who might be falsely accused.

The crowd laughed Tuesday in Mississippi as Trump mimicked Ford's testimony that Kavanaugh clamped a hand over her mouth and groped her in a bedroom.

"How did you get home? 'I don't remember,'" Trump said. "How did you get there? 'I don't remember.' Where is the place? 'I don't remember.' How many years ago was it? 'I don't know. I don't know. I don't know.'"

He lamented the damage false claims could inflict on men.

"Think of your son, think of your husband!" Trump shouted to the audience.

A trio of GOP senators — Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Jeff Flake of Arizona — blasted the president's comments as "wrong," ''inappropriate" and "appalling." But while the FBI is investigating, they're not saying how they'll vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation, making his prospects uncertain.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell declared the Senate would soon begin voting on the nomination, even though it's not clear he has the votes in the 51-49 Republican majority chamber.

Meanwhile, shouting demonstrators chased senators through the hallways on Capitol Hill in an increasingly tense scene fueling — and fueled by — the midterm elections less than five weeks away.

___

THE TWO

In the Senate, the savage national debate over power and who to believe has above all been about the math. Two GOP votes against Kavanaugh's confirmation sinks it if every Democrat votes no.

That's put a pair of female Republicans, Collins and Murkowski, under excruciating pressure.

Neither was saying how she will vote. Each wants to see the results of the FBI investigation.

Collins on Wednesday called Trump's scoffing at Ford "just plain wrong."

Added Murkowski a few hours later: "I thought the president's comments yesterday mocking Dr. Ford were wholly inappropriate and in my view unacceptable."

Neither senator is up for re-election this year.

___

TWO MORE ON THE BALLOT

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith was rushing to a vote Wednesday when a woman shouted at her: "Do you believe survivors?"

Hyde-Smith didn't answer. The Mississippi Republican, appointed only two months ago to a seat the GOP needs to keep, hopped on a Senate subway that sped her toward the Capitol. But she's left no doubt where she stands on Kavanaugh. In her first speech on the Senate floor, she announced that it was her "duty" to support Kavanaugh. She made time to appear at Trump's rally Tuesday night in Southaven, Mississippi.

Also on the ballot is Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska, who is campaigning for a second Senate term. Protesters shouted at her on the way in and out of a hearing Wednesday.

Fischer has said she intends to support Kavanaugh, but added, "We're going to see what the investigation brings, and let's get the vote."

___

ERNST AND CAPITO

The two other Republican women in the Senate say victims should be heard, but they want Kavanaugh confirmed.

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, said that's because Ford's story hasn't been corroborated and because people should be presumed innocent until proved guilty.

And West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito — like Ford, a graduate of the Holton-Arms School — has said she supports Kavanaugh.

___

POLLING

The bad news for Republicans: Recent polls show that a majority of women do not think Kavanaugh should be confirmed. The good news: Republicans, women and men, are overwhelmingly sticking by the nominee.

A Quinnipiac University poll conducted in the days after Ford and Kavanaugh testified showed that public opinion had started to tilt against Kavanaugh, with 48 percent of voters opposed to his confirmation and 42 percent in favor. A September Quinnipiac poll found a nearly even split in opinions on the confirmation.

Women were far more likely than men in the poll to oppose Kavanaugh, 55 percent to 40 percent. But 84 percent of Republicans — including more than 8 in 10 Republican men and women — said Kavanaugh should be confirmed.

Nearly 8 in 10 Republicans said they approve of how Trump has handled the allegations in the new poll, which was conducted before Trump mocked Ford at Tuesday night's rally. About 6 in 10 said they approve of how Senate Republicans are handling the situation. Among Republicans, men and women were about equally likely to approve of both Trump and Republicans in the Senate.

___

Associated Press writers Emily Swanson, Hannah Fingerhut, Lisa Mascaro and Padmananda Rama contributed to this report.

___

Follow Kellman on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/APLaurieKellman