JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Latest on Missouri Senate candidates and the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh (all times local):

Democratic Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill says Christine Blasey  Ford testified “courageously” and says her allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh are “concerning.”

Ford on Thursday testified and answered questions about her allegation that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were teenagers. He denies the allegation.

McCaskill in a Thursday statement said the claims should be investigated by the Judiciary Committee and FBI before the Senate moves forward with Kavanaugh’s nomination.

But McCaskill repeated that her decision to vote against Kavanaugh is based on his opinions on dark money.

McCaskill is among 10 Senate Democrats up for re-election in November in states won by President Donald Trump .

She faces Republican challenger Josh Hawley, who described the hearing as a “circus.” He says Democrats have “launched an ambush on a good man.”

Republican Missouri Senate candidate Josh Hawley says Thursday’s hearing of Judge Brett Kavanaugh and an accuser against him is a “circus.”

Hawley at a campaign event in St. Charles told reporters he had only seen snippets of the Thursday Senate hearing. But he says Democrats have “launched an ambush on a good man.”

He accused Democrats of trying to delay the nomination process until after the mid-term election in hopes of gaining control of the Senate.

Hawley also said he has no reason to doubt the sincerity of Christine Blasey Ford, who alleges sexual assault when they were teens. But Hawley says the Senate should move forward if there’s no evidence. Kavanaugh denies the allegation.

Hawley is running against Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, who says she’ll vote against Kavanaugh.