A Republican defect could be in the cards for Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who is horrified by Trump’s candidature and the party’s current trajectory.
She has spoken out against the former president, saying that she “absolutely” would not vote for him. The longtime Republican from Alaska was one of seven who voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment hearing on January 6, 2021.
In an interview with AWN, Murkowski expressed her want for Republicans to have a nominee she could support. “Donald Trump has no chance of winning my support.”
Murkowski is contemplating her future in the GOP in light of the party’s transition towards Trump. The interviewee refused to confirm or deny that she would continue to identify as a Republican.
I think I’m fairly independent minded,” Murkowski responded when asked if she would become an independent. In addition, she expressed her disappointment that her party was apparently becoming into Donald Trump’s.
“I am navigating my way through some very interesting political times,” Murkowski said when asked whether that indicated she might become an independent. We can just end it there.
The situation with Murkowski and her party hasn’t always been tense. Her father, Gov. Frank Murkowski, appointed her to the Senate in 2002. Her political views aligned with those of President George W. Bush at the time. She had a close relationship with Ted Stevens, the senior Republican senator from her state, who had a hand in building Alaska with federal funds that he sent back to his home state.
Sarah Palin, who had been very critical of her father, was campaigning for senator with John McCain at the time, and they eventually came to blows. Murkowski found herself at odds with her party’s rebellious right side in 2010 as the tea party grew to prominence. After losing the 2010 primary to Republican Joe Miller, she became just the second candidate in Senate history to win a write-in campaign and go on to retain her seat in the general election.
Even though she supported Ketanji Brown Jackson in 2022, voted against Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court in 2018, and helped convict Trump in 2021, Murkowski nevertheless managed to float her way to reelection in her subsequent two elections. In 2022, she was under attack from Trump and his associates, but she had the support of Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell and his heavily funded outside organisation.
Concurrently with Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins, Murkowski lent her support to former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley in the 2024 cycle, a few days prior to her withdrawal from the race.
Murkowski has made it plain that she is prepared to put Trump in her place. When asked about Trump’s recent remarks about Jewish Democrats having to “hate” their faith, Murkowski called them “incredibly wrong and an awful statement.”
Regarding Trump’s other contentious statements, Murkowski rejected last week’s question regarding his stance on the January 6 detainees, claiming that they are “hostages” and “patriots” deserving of pardon.
Murkowski expressed her belief that the matter cannot be justified. In an attempt to halt the certification of an election, individuals rushed the premises on January 6. No one can stand up for it.
