Republican senator Murkowski backs Democratic governor candidate
The senator is therefore supporting a different candidate from Donald Trump.
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Republican senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska is backing Democratic candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins in her state's gubernatorial election. In doing so, she is publicly opposing a candidate supported by President Donald Trump.
Murkowski announced her choice on Tuesday, Alaska Public Media reports. She said Alaska needed a leader who could work across party lines. Kreiss-Tomkins is the Democratic candidate in the governor's race.
The Republican senator is therefore not backing Bernadette Wilson, who is supported by Trump. Besides Kreiss-Tomkins and Wilson, two other Republican candidates are running. Republican governor Mike Dunleavy cannot stand for re-election because of term limits.
Murkowski is among the Republicans who regularly depart from Trump's line. According to Alaska Public Media, she previously supported a Democratic candidate for the House of Representatives. Trump has sharply criticised her in the past and publicly attacked her opposition to certain parts of his policy.
Murkowski's father, former governor and senator Frank Murkowski, has also supported Kreiss-Tomkins. That makes the backing striking in a state where the Republican Party is strong, but where the gubernatorial election is being split among several Republican candidates.
For Dutch readers, the news is chiefly relevant as a sign of the internal struggle within the US Republican Party. The backing of a sitting Republican senator for a Democrat does not automatically say anything about the result, but it underlines that she is making a different choice from Trump in this election.
Voters in Alaska will decide who becomes the next governor. The result will determine, among other things, who leads the state government and how Alaska handles its budget, energy and relationship with the federal government. The current polling is not fully independently substantiated in the sources used; we therefore draw no prediction from it.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Lisa Murkowski, a Republican senator, supports Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins.
- Donald Trump supports a Republican rival, Bernadette Wilson.
- The race has one Democratic candidate and three Republican candidates.
- The endorsement does not determine the result.
Left
Arguments Murkowski's backing can be seen as a rejection of political loyalty to Trump and as support for cross-party cooperation. From this perspective, a leader able to reach moderates and independents would be better placed to address public services and social interests.
Values Inclusiveness, institutional cooperation and less party polarisation.
Consequences The hope is that voters will be less forced to choose between national party conflicts and will pay more attention to governance and local problems.
Centre
Arguments The choice shows that voters and politicians can retain room for candidate-focused politics, but the result must be decided through the election. The institutional approach focuses chiefly on governability and on which coalition can govern after the election.
Values Pragmatism, representative democracy and administrative continuity.
Consequences The main consequence is uncertainty: a personal endorsement can attract attention, but multiple candidates and the electoral system make the outcome difficult to predict.
Right
Arguments Conservative voters may see the endorsement as a break with the party and as support for policies that, in their view, do not align with Alaska's Republican base. From this perspective, a senator should support her own party's candidate to retain governing strength towards Washington.
Values Party cohesion, conservative policy priorities and political responsibility towards one's own supporters.
Consequences The concern is that division within the Republican Party could cost it the governor's seat to the Democrats, even if a majority of voters vote Republican.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The main facts were confirmed by two local news organisations. The article cautiously states the consequences for the election result and avoids unverified polling claims.
- confirmed Lisa Murkowski supports Democratic candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins. — Reported by Alaska Public Media and Alaska's News Source on 27 October 2026. source
- confirmed Donald Trump supports Republican candidate Bernadette Wilson. — Reported by Alaska's News Source. source
- confirmed Besides Kreiss-Tomkins and Wilson, two other Republicans are running in the gubernatorial race. — Alaska Public Media describes a race with one Democrat and three Republicans. source
- confirmed Mike Dunleavy cannot stand for re-election because of term limits. — Reported by Alaska Public Media. source
- confirmed Frank Murkowski also supports Kreiss-Tomkins. — Reported by Alaska Public Media. source
- confirmed The endorsement does not automatically say anything about the election result. — This is journalistic interpretation, not a factual prediction; the article presents the result as uncertain. source
Editor's note
The endorsement, the candidates and Murkowski's position were confirmed by two local public news sources. Its significance for the election result remains uncertain; polling was not used as a firm prediction.Sources
- Murkowski endorses Democrat JKT in Alaska governor’s race — Alaska Public Media
- Sen. Murkowski endorses Democrat JKT in Alaska governor’s race — Alaska's News Source
More on this in Dutch media
- de Volkskrant — „verenigde staten”
- RTL Nieuws — „verenigde staten”
- NOS — „verenigde staten”