WASHINGTON — Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination hangs in the balance as the FBI investigation into sexual assault allegations against him continues.

This contentious confirmation fight is now putting a spotlight on lawmakers up for re-election.

• Public opinion on Kavanaugh confirmation fight could impact midterms
• Strategist says FBI investigation could play well for GOP
• Poll shows women oppose Kavanaugh confirmation 55 to 37 percent

Will the widening gap in the court of public opinion over whether Kavanaugh should sit on the highest court in the land have an impact on the midterm elections?

“No question if the election was being held today, I think every voter would be thinking about Kavanaugh and the Supreme Court," said Alex Conant, a prominent Republican strategist in Washington DC.

As both sides are eager to rally their bases, will this polarizing battle continue to capture the country's attention in the weeks leading up to the midterms?

“They’ll probably be bad feelings left on all sides, but a month is a very long time in politics," Conant said, a former staffer on Senator Marco Rubio's presidential campaign.

The short-term delay in Kavanaugh’s nomination to accommodate the FBI investigation is something Conant believes will play well for Republicans.

“It improves their chances of potentially getting some Democratic votes for Kavanaugh," he said. "If, at the end of the week, senators like Jeff Flake are satisfied with the investigation, I don’t think the Democrats objections will hold much water.”

Even if Democrats aren’t able to derail Kavanaugh’s nomination, they likely will continue to highlight the sexual assault allegations against him. This appears to be driving a wedge deeper into what could be an unprecedented gender gap this election cycle.

“Suburban women are the key demographic that will help shape the House and Senate this year," said Leah Askarinam, an analyst with Inside Elections.

A new Quinnipiac University poll shows women oppose a Kavanaugh confirmation 55 to 37 percent, while men support it 49-40 percent.

Will this issue mobilize college-educated women who live in the suburbs, which often are political battlegrounds?

“Keep in mind we’ve seen the women’s march, we’ve seen numerous protests since then, we’ve seen poll after poll with a major gender gap in Senate and House races and the generic ballot," Askarinam said.

"It already seems like women are enthusiastic. The question is, is there room for that to grow?" she asked.

As the FBI continues to investigate, Judge Kavanaugh’s fate is uncertain in the critical weeks ahead of the midterm election.