Republican senators are returning to Washington with “no idea” as to how the Kavanaugh scandal will play out, said one GOP senator. …

Republican leaders are closely watching the reactions of Sens. Jeff Flake of Arizona, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Bob Corker of Tennessee to the latest Kavanaugh news to determine whether they can proceed with the nomination, according to GOP senators and aides. …

A Republican senator familiar with internal deliberations said that the electoral calculations of McConnell and other GOP leaders could weigh more heavily on Kavanaugh’s future than a small group of undecided GOP lawmakers. This Republican argued that if GOP leaders can keep the majority, confirming someone other than Kavanaugh would be less of a problem than taking a major political hit in November.

“They care a lot about this nominee. But they care far more about being the majority,” the senator said on Monday. “If I were [Kavanaugh] I would be more concerned with that than the three or four independent-minded senators … his greatest threat is McConnell and Senate leadership if they think this is going against them in the midterms.”