Anchorage, Alaska (CNN) Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski told CNN on Friday she plans to wait until after Judge Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, the woman accusing President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee of sexual assault, testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee before deciding whether to back Kavanaugh's nomination.

"What I have to do next week, assuming that the hearing moves forward, which I am truly hoping it does, that is the end, hopefully, of this vetting process that I have been engaged in," she said here Friday. "That's when I will make my determination in regards to Judge Kavanaugh."

Republicans can confirm Kavanaugh without any votes from Democrats but given that Republicans control 51 seats to Democrats' 49, Kavanaugh's supporters have barely any room for GOP "no" votes.

The Alaskan senator, who as a more moderate Republican is seen as a key swing vote, also said Trump's tweet Friday morning claiming that Ford should have reported her allegation immediately after the alleged incident took place was not "helpful."

"I think that where we are right now with the Senate and (the) Judiciary Committee particularly, going through its process, a process that hopefully will allow for an airing of the allegations Dr. Ford has submitted in writing ... but equally important is a fair opportunity for Judge Kavanaugh to respond," she said. "That's what we should be focusing on."

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