Graham once thought Trump would pick Judge Judy instead of Kavanaugh: ‘I swear to God’

Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) says he once believed President Trump would have nominated Judge Judy to serve on the Supreme Court. 

During an interview with The Washington Post published on Friday, Graham, who was once one of the president’s most vocal Republican critics, said he was relieved when Trump nominated Brett Kavanaugh to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court earlier this summer.

Graham, who had recommended Kavanaugh to Trump, said he was “glad he picked him,” adding: “I swear to God, there was a time I thought he would pick Judge Judy.”

{mosads}The South Carolina senator also touched on some of his more heated moments during Kavanaugh’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week over sexual assault allegations brought against him, saying Trump had even called him up afterwards to check in. 

“He called up and said, ‘Wow, you were really mad,’” Graham said. “And he said, ‘Why?’ ”

Graham said he was upset during the hearing because he felt the process had made the Senate look bad and Kavanaugh, whom he called a “good man,” look worse. 

His remarks come as Kavanaugh cleared a key hurdle on Friday when senators voted 51-49 to end debate on his nomination, setting up a Saturday vote on his confirmation.