Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski has endorsed Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins for Alaska governor over three Republican candidates, including President Donald Trump’s preferred contender, citing the former state lawmaker’s bipartisan approach and promising a new direction for the state.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski crossed party lines Tuesday to endorse Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, rejecting three Republican contenders in Alaska’s Nov. 3 election, including Bernadette Wilson, who has received President Donald Trump’s endorsement.
Murkowski announced her decision during an Oct. 27 interview with Rebecca Palsha of Alaska’s News Source, arguing that the state needs new leadership capable of working with lawmakers across party lines.
“JKT is a young Alaskan with a view and a perspective that I think Alaska needs right now,” Murkowski said, referring to Kreiss-Tomkins by his widely used initials.
She also praised his willingness to work with the Legislature and Alaska’s congressional delegation, describing cooperation as essential to addressing the state’s economic and fiscal challenges.
The endorsement represents another public disagreement between Murkowski and Trump, whose relationship has been marked by repeated conflicts over Republican Party leadership and federal policy.
Trump endorsed Wilson on Oct. 13, shortly before appearing at a campaign rally in Wasilla. Murkowski’s decision places her support behind Wilson’s Democratic opponent less than a week before Election Day.
Kreiss-Tomkins, a former state representative from Sitka, is competing against Wilson, former Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson and former Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor.
Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy is completing his second consecutive term and cannot seek reelection.
In a statement released by Kreiss-Tomkins’ campaign, Murkowski expanded on her reasoning, emphasizing the importance of political cooperation and Alaska’s economic future.
“Our future is too important to be hamstrung by partisan divisions,” Murkowski said. “Jonathan understands that governing requires listening to people with different perspectives and finding common ground to solve the problems all of us face.”
The senator also called for greater attention to state finances, energy costs and economic development, saying Kreiss-Tomkins was committed to finding solutions that serve Alaskans regardless of party affiliation.
Murkowski criticized Dunleavy’s administration during her television interview, arguing that the outgoing governor had failed to take full advantage of federal funding opportunities.
“I have found fault. I have found fault with the Dunleavy administration,” she said. “I think that they have left federal money on the table.”
Kreiss-Tomkins welcomed the endorsement and pledged to work with state legislators, Alaska’s congressional delegation, businesses and communities.
The Democratic candidate has made cross-party cooperation a central part of his campaign, promising to consider Republicans and independents for positions in his administration.
He previously represented a politically competitive district in the Alaska House of Representatives for approximately a decade.
Murkowski is not the only prominent Republican supporting Kreiss-Tomkins.
Her father, former Republican Gov. and U.S. Sen. Frank Murkowski, has also endorsed the Democratic candidate.
The elder Murkowski joined former Democratic Gov. Tony Knowles and former independent Gov. Bill Walker in supporting Kreiss-Tomkins, according to Alaska Public Media.
Their endorsements reflect an unusual coalition of former Alaska officials from different political backgrounds.
The latest development comes as Trump and Murkowski exchange increasingly sharp criticism.
Trump recently attacked the senator after she opposed his Justice Department’s lawsuit concerning certification of Alaska’s U.S. Senate election.
“Lisa Murkowski is a DISGRACE to Alaska and our Country,” Trump wrote Saturday.
Murkowski has frequently disagreed with Trump, including voting to convict him during his second impeachment trial in 2021.
She also opposed Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation in 2018.
Her willingness to support candidates outside the Republican Party is not unprecedented.
In 2024, Murkowski endorsed Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola’s unsuccessful reelection campaign against Republican Nick Begich.
However, she has also endorsed Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan in his current reelection campaign against Peltola, demonstrating that her endorsements do not consistently follow party lines.
The governor’s race is being conducted under Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system, which allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference.
If no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and ballots are redistributed according to voters’ subsequent preferences until a candidate secures a majority.
The system has attracted criticism from Trump, who has argued that it disadvantages Republican candidates.
Supporters maintain that ranked-choice voting encourages candidates to appeal beyond their party’s traditional supporters.
A New York Times/Siena University poll conducted Sept. 24 through Oct. 1 found Kreiss-Tomkins with 46% support among likely voters, compared with 24% for Wilson, 17% for Bronson and 13% for Taylor.
Those figures represent voter preferences during the survey period, not election results.
The presence of three Republican candidates has made the governor’s race particularly notable, although ranked-choice voting allows supporters of one Republican candidate to designate another as a subsequent preference.
According to the Alaska Beacon, the Murkowski family’s support adds to an expanding collection of cross-party endorsements for Kreiss-Tomkins.
Murkowski’s decision also highlights divisions among Alaska Republicans over the direction of the state government and the relationship between state leaders and the Trump administration.
Wilson has campaigned with Trump’s backing, while Bronson and Taylor are also seeking support from conservative voters.
Kreiss-Tomkins has positioned himself as a candidate willing to work with Republicans, independents and Democrats on Alaska’s budget, energy needs and economic challenges.
With Election Day approaching, Murkowski’s endorsement places one of Alaska’s most prominent Republican elected officials behind the only Democrat in the four-candidate gubernatorial contest.
Voters will determine the state’s next governor Nov. 3, with the final outcome governed by Alaska’s ranked-choice tabulation process.
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