As Kavanaugh vote looms, GOP Sen. Daines says he's going to daughter's wedding

Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., says he'll be attending his daughter's wedding on Saturday -- and not participating in the vote on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. (REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)

Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., will not be available at any point on Saturday to vote to confirm Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Instead, he'll be at his daughter’s wedding, Fox News has learned.

The absence of the senator – expected to support the embattled nominee’s confirmation – throws a wrench into the works as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., aims to push through Kavanaugh’s nomination to the high court.

The decision means McConnell would need to obtain all of his available 50 Republican senators to vote for the judge. It would also push Vice President Mike Pence out of the mix, as 99 senators would be voting and Pence can only settle things in the event of a tie. Under the new precedent established during Nuclear Option II on Supreme Court nominees, the Senate simply needs a "majority" of those "voting."

So McConnell would need the support of Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine -- or two of the three and Democratic West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin. All four senators have not yet announced how they plan to vote.

Daines’ office told Fox News that the timing of the FBI’s recent probe into sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh was fluid, meaning it was not known that there would be a conflict.

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The senator is also adamant: He's not missing the wedding. His status for a potential Sunday vote was not immediately clear.

His office stressed that he reviewed the FBI's supplemental background check and found no corroborating evidence to back up allegations against Kavanaugh. Daines will be in attendance Friday morning when the Senate takes a vote to end debate on Kavanaugh's nomination.

Fox News’ Peter Doocy and Chad Pergram contributed to this report.