WASHINGTON -- After holding off for several days, Senate Republican candidate Bob Hugin supported confirming Judge Brett Kavanaugh as a U.S. Supreme Court justice as lawmakers moved toward a final vote on his nomination.

"Based on everything I know now, I would support Judge Kavanaugh as senator," Hugin tweeted on Friday while his Democratic opponent, U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., went to the Senate floor to decry his nomination.

Based on everything I know now, I would support Judge Kavanaugh as Senator. I still strongly believe the FBI report should be released so the American people can see the findings. — Bob Hugin (@BobHugin) October 5, 2018

Both Menendez and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., were early opponents of confirming Kavanaugh, but Hugin has offered words of praise for the nominee.

President Donald Trump nominated Kavanaugh after pledging only to pick Supreme Court justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision legalizing abortion.

Hugin initially delayed expressing an opinion on confirming Kavanaugh, calling him "an incredibly qualified, talented jurist" but saying he wanted to watch the hearings and await the results of the FBI probe.

He said the public should see the FBI investigation, which Senate Democrats have called a sham because the agency did not interview dozens of potential witnesses who could have corroborated the claims by Christine Blasey Ford, a research psychologist, that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her while both were in high school.

The former Celgene Corp. executive donated the maximum $5,400 to Trump's campaign and gave an additional $233,200 to the Republican National Committee to support the GOP nominee, according to Federal Election Commission records.

Running in a state where more than 6 in 10 likely voters disapprove of the president's job performance, Hugin instead has emphasized his differences with Trump rather than his support for him.

His support of Kavanaugh, though, gave Menendez another line of attack to use against him.

"Bob Hugin ended exactly where he began on another Trump Supreme Court pick -- with Trump, against women, against New Jersey's values and for overturning Roe v. Wade, weakening gun safety and gutting environmental protections," Menendez said.

"Hugin is a coward who tries to duck, dodge and mislead New Jerseyans, only to reveal himself with his support of Brett Kavanaugh as the true Trump-loving extreme conservative he is."

Hugin shot back: "Bob Menendez is a corrupt politician and a disgrace. He's not fighting for New Jerseyans, he's only fought for himself and his donors."

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.