FILE PHOTO: Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) speaks to journalists as she arrives for a vote on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., September 24, 2018. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said on Friday she supported the idea of a delay in the planned Senate vote on U.S. Supreme court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, making it more likely that Republican leaders will have to agree to the idea.

Murkowski’s Republican colleague Jeff Flake earlier on Friday called for a one-week delay to allow the FBI to investigate sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh.

With Republicans holding a narrow 51-49 majority in the Senate, the two Republican defections could doom Kavanaugh’s nomination, given the likelihood of universal Democratic opposition.