This kind of gloating is a mistake for Republicans and, more important, for the country.

One reason a muted and conciliatory approach is advisable is that the Supreme Court, unlike the elected branches of government, exercises its power not through control of the purse or the military, but through the faith of the American people. If that faith is sufficiently shaken, the most vital check Americans have on elected power could be shattered, and the Democrats are not without options to capitalize on it.

There are already calls from the left to pack the court should Democrats regain control of Congress and the presidency. Such a maneuver would, in effect, transform the Supreme Court into a third elected branch of the federal government, instead of a nonpartisan guardian of the Constitution. Moderation from conservatives could go a long way toward tamping down calls for such an extreme measure.

The concern that millions of Americans will, thanks to the controversial confirmation, now see the court as illegitimate surely weighed heavily on the decisions and actions of Senators Jeff Flake and Susan Collins, whose votes ultimately got Justice Kavanaugh over the finish line.

Mr. Flake’s call for an F.B.I. investigation infuriated many conservatives but was, in retrospect, clearly meant to secure Justice Kavanaugh’s legitimacy as much as his confirmation. Likewise, Ms. Collins’s speech on the floor of the Senate, while a resounding defense of Judge Kavanaugh’s record and the presumption of his innocence, also showed deference and decency to Christine Blasey Ford, whose testimony the senator from Maine called “sincere, painful and compelling.” These words stood in stark contrast to President Trump, who callously mocked Dr. Blasey’s allegations at a political rally last week.

The difference between Ms. Collins’s and Mr. Trump’s remarks reveals a deep tension within the Republican Party today. Mr. Trump’s bullheadedness and bluster has arguably led to many of the big wins he promised. But it has also divided the nation and left moderate conservatives in a difficult position. They refuse to mimic his behavior, as Mr. Graham has in recent weeks, but they realize that refusing to join in pushes them farther from the new center of conservative power.