“Some people think if you’re opposed to the president then you’re all of a sudden into Democratic philosophy. … I’m a conservative,” Flake said. “I wrote a book about it. And I understand the frustration people have.”

Steve Schmidt, a former adviser to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), tweeted at Flake on Monday to cut a deal with Democrats to “relieve the complicit Mitch McConnell” of the majority leader job. Asked whether he would ever switch caucuses, Flake laughed heartily: “I’m a conservative.”

Murkowski responded similarly and said she’s never been seriously approached by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.): “That’s not even a discussion that I think is something to bring up or to entertain.”

Sasse spokesman James Wegmann called the idea of torpedoing Kavanaugh “idiotically stupid.”