These 5 female senators who shaped Kavanaugh hearings could run for president in 2020

The female senators who played prominent roles Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation battle could see their support boosted if they decide to take on Donald Trump and run for the White House in 2020 as a result, some political commentators have suggested.

The president's nominee divided opinion after Professor Christine Blasey Ford testified that he had sexually assaulted her at a party when they were teenagers.

As protests erupted across Capitol Hill, women on both sides of the political divide were forced to decide whether to support the embattled nominee.

Those choices have prompted some political analysts to speculate that they will have longstanding consequences that reverberate well into the next election cycle.

Here are five women whose impact on the process could influence their success in a 2020 presidential race.

Mazie Hirono

From the beginning of the process the Hawaii Democrat was one of the loudest voices to oppose Mr Kavanaugh's confirmation.

Prior to Dr Ford’s accusations becoming public, the senator grilled the justice on whether he had ever committed acts of sexual misconduct.

“Since you became a legal adult, have you ever made unwanted requests for sexual favours or committed any verbal or physical harassment or assault of a sexual nature?” she asked. “Have you ever faced discipline or entered into a settlement related to this kind of conduct?”

Two weeks later, as the allegations against Mr Kavanaugh surfaced, Ms Hirono continued to lead demonstrations against him.

She also released confidential emails exposing his views on native Hawaiians.

“These are the docs R(epublicans) don’t want you to see—because they show that Judge Kavanaugh wrongly believes that Native Hawaiian programs are Constitutionally questionable,” she tweeted as she posted the 2002 emails on her social media site. “I defy anyone reading this to be able to conclude that it should be deemed confidential in any way, shape, or form.”

Kamala Harris

A former top prosecutor, the California Democrat delivered a tough line of questioning during Mr Kavanaugh’s initial hearings with the Senate Judiciary Committee that instantly went viral online.

Ms Harris grilled the judge on whether he had discussed Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russia’s impact on the 2016 election with any attorneys who work at Kasowitz Benson Torres, a New York firm founded by the president’s personal lawyer, Marc Kasowitz.

He appeared to fumble in his answer while evading the question, leading the senator to bluntly respond, “I think you are thinking of someone, and you don’t want to tell us.”

When the sexual assault allegations emerged, Ms Harris immediately called for a renewed FBI investigation into Mr Kavanaugh.

She also walked out of a vote that advanced his nomination. Her supporters lauded her apparent determination to uncover the truth behind the allegations and her commitment to getting nominees on the record about their alleged wrongdoing.

Voters may remember Ms Harris for her similar tough questioning of Jeff Sessions, which helped result in his recusal from all matters related to Russia as the head of the Justice Department under Mr Trump.

Amy Klobuchar

The Minnesota Democrat did not appear to be attempting to draw national headlines when she questioned Mr Kavanaugh on his drinking habits after the allegations against him were brought forward.

Ms Kobluchar opened her line of questioning by acknowledging her own family’s history with issues surrounding alcoholism, before asking the judge whether he had ever blacked out or forgotten portions of his nights due to drinking.

In several interviews with The Independent, law professors across the country cited Ms Kobluchar’s questioning as the most troubling aspects behind Mr Kavanaugh’s nomination.

He appeared to become filled with anger towards the senator, repeatedly shooting the question back at her and asking if she had ever blacked out.

The Democrat, who holds a strong lead over her opponent in an upcoming re-election, denounced Mr Kavanaugh while maintaining an air of calm during a speech in which she announced she would oppose his nomination.

“At this time in our history, we need a justice who is independent and will serve as a check on other branches of government,” she said. “That’s what our Founding Fathers set up.”

Susan Collins

All eyes were on the Maine Republican during the close of the contentious confirmation process, as she announced she would vote to advance Mr Kavanaugh’s nomination during a procedural vote.

Explaining her decision in a later speech, she defended Mr Kavanaugh’s track record as a judge while attempting to support Dr Ford’s allegations as well.

She stopped just short of believing the judge was the person who assaulted Dr Ford, although this led to a backlash from her Democratic rivals.

However, Republicans celebrated Ms Collins’ decision to vote “yes” for Mr Kavanaugh and Mr Trump later tweeted his support for the senator after her remarks.

Lisa Murkowski

As the sole Republican to oppose the nomination of Mr Kavanaugh, the Alaska Republican suffered a backlash.

However, in her final remarks regarding her decision to reject the embattled judge, Ms Murkowski made it clear she was not afraid of the criticism she would receive.

Her decision was hers, and hers alone, she said.

“I did not come to a decision on this until walking onto the floor this morning. I have been wrestling to really try to know what is fair and what is right, and the truth is, that none of this has been fair,” she said, speaking on the House floor ahead of a final vote on Mr Kavanaugh.

“This has truly been the most difficult evaluation of a decision that I have ever had to make, and I’ve made some interesting ones in my career. But I value and respect where my colleagues have come down from in their support for the judge, and I think we’re at a place where we need to begin thinking about the credibility and integrity of our institutions.”

The president attacked Ms Murkowski for her decision, saying she “will never recover” from her decision.

However, it remains unclear what impact the decision could ultimately have in her 2022 re-election campaign, or a 2020 presidential bid if she were to launch a bid for the top job.