Brett Kavanaugh protests

Judge Brett Kavanaugh is one step closer to becoming the ninth Supreme Court Justice.

The U.S. Senate voted along party lines 51-49 to send Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the full Senate floor for a final confirmation vote on Saturday, Oct. 6.

Kavanaugh is President Donald Trump’s choice for the Supreme Court after Judge Anthony Kennedy retired earlier this year.

Friday’s cloture vote was a key procedural step to advancing Kavanaugh’s nomination to the full Senate on Saturday.

Kavanaugh’s nomination vote was delayed for a week while the F.B.I. interviewed 10 witnesses in an attempt to corroborate or dismiss allegations of sexual misconduct against the judge.

The FBI did not find any corroborating witnesses who backed up Christine Blasey Ford and another women who alleged sexual assault attacks in the 1980s when Kavanaugh was a teenager in high school.

Kavanaugh, who is a U.S. Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., vigorously denied the allegations.

Brett Kavanaugh protests

Women’s rights activists continued their protests in the atrium of the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

The White House released a statement saying President Trump is “proud” of the Senators who voted to send Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Senate. Former SCOTUS Judge Kennedy said he is confident Kavanaugh will be confirmed on Saturday.

Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images, Alex Wong/Getty Images