2 female Arizona Senate candidates on a Kavanaugh tightrope

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The two congresswomen running for Arizona’s open Senate seat are walking a tightrope on U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Republican Martha McSally has spoken about her own sexual abuse in high school. She is supporting Kavanaugh while also trying to be sympathetic to the woman who accused him of sexually assaulting her in high school.

Democrat Kyrsten Sinema is running as a centrist who decries partisanship. She only said she opposed Kavanaugh Thursday night after pointedly refraining from criticizing his nomination.

The women are competing for the seat vacated by Sen. Jeff Flake. It was Flake who launched the recent FBI investigation when he said confirming Kavanaugh the day after the hearing on the allegations would be too fast.