Just a suggestion. Lose the attitude that this is a formality and doesn't really matter. It matters to the putative employer or they wouldn't be asking. Extraneous jibes like "Kavanaugh country" may impress your friends, but they'll pi$$ off half the people who will be interviewing you while failing to favorably impress the other half.

While that might not disqualify you at the regional level it's a bad habit to get into.