OPINION: This article contains commentary which may reflect the author’s opinion
Incumbent Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska chose the wrong side when she voted to convict then President Donald Trump during the second attempt at impeachment of the president by Democratic members of Congress, also publicly blaming Trump and calling for him to step down prior to Biden’s inauguration. “I want him to resign. I want him out. He has caused enough damage,” she told the Anchorage Daily News at the time.
She has made anti-Trump statements since then, as well.
Her stance against Trump has caused her to be challenged by other Republicans, and been labeled as a RINO.
Murkowski has admitted recently that her reelection bid is facing some stiff headwinds, and in fact, she has stated she may very well lose.
“I may not be re-elected,” Murkowski told the New York Times about the possible end of her 20-year Senate career.
“It may be that Alaskans say, ‘Nope, we want to go with an absolute, down-the-line, always, always, 100-percent, never-question, rubber-stamp Republican,” she said about Tshibaka, who is leading in the polls.
“And if they say that that’s the way that Alaska has gone — kind of the same direction that so many other parts of the country have gone — I have to accept that,” Murkowski added. “But I’m going to give them the option… Maybe I am just completely politically naive, and this ship has sailed. But I won’t know unless we — unless I — stay out there and give Alaskans the opportunity to weigh in,” Conservative Brief reported.
It seems that Sen. Murkowski certainly has read Alaska voters wrong, and now that Kelly Tshibaka, the former state commissioner of administration, is challenging her powerful Republicans have come out to support Tshibaka.
In December, Tshibaka unloaded on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and indicated she may not support him for the party’s leader should the GOP recapture the chamber’s majority in November, Conservative Bief reported.
“Mitch McConnell has repeatedly bailed out Joe Biden, giving him gifts of Senate votes, which are the only things keeping the Biden administration on life support,” she said.
As an example, after rescuing Biden with the last debt ceiling increase, McConnell said he would never do it again. But he just did, and he had Lisa Murkowski’s help in doing so.”
Tshibaka said of Sen. Murkwowski, “She picked a needless fight with Donald Trump. His policies were really good for Alaska. He opened up oil and gas jobs for us,” she said.
“He reduced taxes for us. He supported our military. We have a strong military presence up here, and he rebuilt the military, and her impeachment vote made a lot of people angry in Alaska,” Tshibaka added.
And, Donald Trump has been outspoken in his support of Tshibaka.
Trump stated in June 2021, “Murkowski has got to go!”
“Kelly Tshibaka is the candidate who can beat Murkowski — and she will. Kelly is a fighter who stands for Alaska values and America First,” he continued.
“She is MAGA all the way, pro-energy, strong on the Border, tough on Crime and totally supports our Military and our great Vets,” the former president added.
With Trump’s support, Tshibaka has gained headway in her battle for the senate seat, and now popular South Dakota Republican Governor Kristi Noem has spoken out in support of of Tshibaka, making her the candidate of the leadership not only in Alaska, but nationally.
“Kelly Tshibaka will be an America First senator who knows that what’s good for Alaska is also good for America. She will fight for the constitutional rights of all citizens and work to revive the Alaskan economy, which has been devastated by the horrendous policies of the Biden administration,” Noem said in a statement exclusively obtained by Breitbart News.
“I am proud to endorse Kelly and look forward to working with her on issues we have in common for years to come,” Noem added.
Former Alaska State Administrator Tshibaka confidently thanked Gov. Noem for her support.
“It is a high honor, and I am grateful to have the support of Kristi Noem, one of the nation’s most successful governors. She understands what it’s like when the federal government seizes control of huge chunks of your state’s land and when it interferes with people’s livelihoods,” Tshibaka said. “When I’m Alaska’s next senator, I will always stand up for the rights of our people, and I will never forget who hired me to represent them.
Tshibaka officially filed to run for the office in April. Although Murkowski is leading in fundraising so far, there are also at least 10 other candidates that have filed to run in the race.
‘Under a new election system approved by Alaska voters in 2020, the top 4 vote getters in the August primary, regardless of party, will advance to the November general election, where ranked choice voting will be used,’ according to alaskapublic.org.
Source: The Republic Brief