Daines’s son shares video of father watching Kavanaugh vote

A son of Montana Sen. Steve Daines (R) shared a video Saturday of his father watching the Senate’s vote on Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination, which Daines skipped to attend his daughter’s wedding.

Mike Daines shared the video Saturday afternoon following the vote, which shows the senator saying “aye” as his name is called on television.

“Does this count? #KavanaughConfirmed,” Mike Daines added in his own comment.

Does this count? #KavanaughConfirmed pic.twitter.com/q1r3cBnuzk

— mike daines (@michaeldaines) October 6, 2018

The younger Daines’s tweet came about an hour after President Trump thanked the Montana senator for being willing to come back to Washington in time for the vote, which passed 50-48 with just one Republican, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, breaking ranks to oppose Kavanaugh’s confirmation.

{mosads}Steve Daines’s vote was not necessary due to statements from two crucial swing votes, Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), who both came out in favor of Kavanaugh’s nomination on Friday.

“I have asked Steve Daines, our great Republican Senator from Montana, to attend his daughter Annie’s wedding rather than coming to today’s vote,” Trump tweeted shortly after the vote took place.

“Steve was ready to do whatever he had to, but we had the necessary number. To the Daines Family, congratulations-have a wonderful day!” he added.

I have asked Steve Daines, our great Republican Senator from Montana, to attend his daughter Annie’s wedding rather than coming to today’s vote. Steve was ready to do whatever he had to, but we had the necessary number. To the Daines Family, congratulations-have a wonderful day!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 6, 2018

Murkowski, who made her own decision Friday as well, announced that she would instead vote “present,” knowing that Democrats’ efforts to stop Kavanaugh’s nomination had failed, in a show of support for Daines.

“I do this because a friend, a colleague of ours is in Montana this evening and … he’s going to be walking his daughter down the aisle and he won’t be present to vote,” Murkowski said Friday night when explaining her vote.

“I have extended this as a courtesy to my friend. It will not change the outcome of the vote.”