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US Politics

Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski endorses a Democrat for Alaska governor over Trump's pick

Murkowski backs former state lawmaker Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins about a week before Election Day. Trump-endorsed Republican Bernadette Wilson says Murkowski abandoned Alaska values long ago.

9 news outlets reported this
Liberal4 outletsCenter1 outletlittle coverageConservative4 outlets
Published 3 min read
Overview

Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska endorsed Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins for governor on Tuesday, about a week before Election Day. Kreiss-Tomkins is a former state lawmaker. The seat is open because Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy is term-limited.

Kreiss-Tomkins faces three Republicans: Bernadette Wilson, former Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson and former state Treg Taylor. President Donald Trump has endorsed Wilson. Murkowski said Alaska needs a governor who will work with the legislature.

Kreiss-Tomkins said he was grateful for her support. According to NBC News and The Daily Wire, Wilson replied that Murkowski abandoned Alaska values long ago, and she called her opponent "Just Keep Taxing" JKT.

Alaska uses voting, in which the last-place candidate is dropped round by round until one has a majority. NBC News and HuffPost note that Trump has called Murkowski the "Republicans' Worst Senator, by far." NBC News and the Washington Examiner say the race leans Democratic, citing the NBC Decision Desk and the Cook Political Report respectively.

Three sides of the story

Liberal4 outlets

MS NOW, NBC News and HuffPost present the endorsement as another break by Murkowski with her party and with Trump. MS NOW and HuffPost recall her vote to convict Trump in his second trial. NBC and HuffPost cite his "Republicans' Worst Senator, by far" remark.

NBC and MS NOW report that she recently criticized the administration's lawsuit over Alaska's race, and that Trump then attacked her. MS NOW quotes her saying Alaskans want change. NBC reports she considers the three Republican candidates too partisan and doubts Wilson would work with Democrats.

NBC describes Wilson's reply as dismissive. MS NOW quotes Wilson pledging to work to unseat Murkowski. HuffPost adds that Murkowski's father, former Republican Gov. Frank Murkowski, joined two other former governors in an op-ed backing Kreiss-Tomkins.

They are Tony Knowles, a Democrat, and Bill Walker, an independent. HuffPost also cites a September New York Times/Siena poll giving Kreiss-Tomkins 40% and Wilson 20%.

Center1 outlet

Centrist outlets gave the story little coverage. The Hill reports that Murkowski backed Kreiss-Tomkins over three Republican candidates and, in a statement from his campaign, praised his commitment to bipartisanship.

Conservative4 outlets

The Washington Examiner, The Daily Wire and Fox News focus on what the endorsement means for Republicans. The Daily Wire's headline says Murkowski "Sticks Knife In Party's Back." It describes the as fighting for its life in the , and it quotes Wilson's attack on Kreiss-Tomkins over taxes, the PFD (Alaska's yearly payment to residents) and his allies.

The Examiner says the backing could help the only Democrat on the ranked-choice ballot. It adds background on a to repeal ranked-choice voting and Trump's call to vote yes. It also covers Murkowski's record of crossing party lines and her criticism of the Dunleavy administration.

Fox's headline says she "snubs" the Trump-backed candidate. Fox mostly relays the campaign's press release, including statements from both politicians. Fox and the Examiner also name Kreiss-Tomkins's running mate, Zac Johnson.

All sources: 9 articles from 9 outlets

Liberal (4)

Center (1)

Conservative (4)

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