DEMS/HEALTHCARE/NOMINATIONS/SUPREME COURT/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Democrats on Wednesday [7-11-18] were reorienting their uphill push to block U.S. Senate confirmation of President Donald Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court, moving healthcare to the center of their strategy and putting less emphasis on abortion rights. While the two issues are closely linked, the change aligns with polling that shows healthcare is a major concern for swing-state voters ahead of November’s congressional elections, with abortion rights more divisive. No matter the top issue, Democrats will have a hard time derailing the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Trump’s Republicans have a 51-49 Senate majority, enough to confirm Kavanaugh if they stick together. But they have little margin for error and Democrats see healthcare as a potential wedge issue. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer on Tuesday rattled off topics Kavanaugh might have to rule on as a Supreme Court justice. ‘But at the top of the list is healthcare,’ he said.”
–Richard Cowan, “Democrats refocus fight against Trump’s Supreme Court nominee on healthcare,” Reuters, July 11, 2018 2:13 pm