Republican Rep. Kevin Cramer is looking better and better to become North Dakota's junior U.S. senator. And for that, he has the current senator to thank.

Democrat Heidi Heitkamp just announced her opposition to Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, a decision that either seals her fate or just acknowledges the inevitable.

Heitkamp has been trailing Cramer since June, falling behind by more than eight points, according to the RealClearPolitics average. And that was before she came out against Kavanaugh.

According to a poll from Strategic Research Associates and a local NBC affiliate, North Dakotans support the nominee, 60 to 27 percent.