Sen. Lindsey Graham Lindsey Olin GrahamSenate GOP aims to confirm Trump court pick by Oct. 29: report The Hill's Campaign Report: GOP set to ask SCOTUS to limit mail-in voting Senate GOP sees early Supreme Court vote as political booster shot MORE (S.C.) says he once believed President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE 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.”

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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.