In the budding battle royale over the Supreme Court vacancy, what’s the Democratic sweet spot between satisfying liberal activists’ demands for an all-out fight against President Donald Trump’s pick and protecting senators facing tight re-election races in deeply red states? So far, the party’s formula is to cast itself as defending the right to abortion and the 2010 health care law against a president itching to use the court to snatch both away. Democrats want to make it as excruciating as possible for a pair of moderate, pivotal Republican senators to back the selection because without a GOP defection, it’s game over.…The fight will be intense, fueled by Kennedy’s status as the court’s frequent swing vote and the GOP’s hair-thin 51-49 Senate majority — effectively 50-49 since January, with Sen. John McCain battling cancer in Arizona. (Alan Fram, Associated Press)
