Senator Lisa Murkowski endorsed Democratic candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins in Alaska’s gubernatorial race on Tuesday. The move snubs Republican contenders, including a Trump-backed candidate, just one week before Election Day in a contest rated as leaning Democratic by the NBC News Decision Desk.
The Bottom Line on Murkowski’s Endorsement
- Senator Lisa Murkowski broke with her party on Tuesday to back Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins over Republican Bernadette Wilson, who holds an endorsement from Donald Trump.
- Murkowski criticized the three Republican gubernatorial candidates on the ballot as too partisan to successfully work with the state legislature or the federal delegation in Washington, D.C.
- The NBC News Decision Desk rates the Alaska governor’s race as leaning Democratic, following presidential victories for Trump in the state in 2016, 2020, and 2024.
Why Murkowski Backed a Democrat in Juneau
Speaking to NBC affiliate KTUU in Anchorage, Murkowski explained her rationale for supporting Kreiss-Tomkins, a former state lawmaker from Sitka often referred to as JKT. She described him as a young Alaskan bringing a fresh perspective and a commonsense approach capable of bridging divides. Murkowski emphasized the necessity of collaboration.
Alaskans don’t need any help voting for their preferred candidates, and the State of Alaska has already handled this by clearly distinguishing the candidates on this year’s ballot. The Department of Justice should never have filed this lawsuit.https://t.co/88tGvV0P8O
We need a governor who’s going to work with the legislature,
Murkowski stated in her interview. That has got to happen for the delegation to be successful back in Washington, D.C.
She also criticized the administration of Mike Dunleavy, arguing that it left federal funding on the table, specifically pointing to failures regarding the Alaska Marine Highway System.
Kreiss-Tomkins expressed gratitude for the backing, highlighting Murkowski’s integrity and track record of crossing the aisle. I’m very grateful that she wanted to step up and be a part of the coalition that we’re building,
he told KTUU.
Republican Fractures and Trump’s Reaction
The Republican field vying to succeed Dunleavy features multiple contenders, including former Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson, former state Attorney General Treg Taylor, and Bernadette Wilson. Wilson secured Trump’s endorsement on October 13 ahead of a rally in Wasilla. Both Trump and Wilson have previously urged Bronson and Taylor to drop out of the race to avoid splitting conservative votes.
Wilson fired back sharply at Murkowski following the endorsement. In a formal statement, Wilson dismissed the move by stating, Given that Senator Lisa Murkowski abandoned Alaska values a long time ago, I am not surprised that she has endorsed ‘Just Keep Taxing’ JKT,
while alleging his allegiance lies with extreme socialists. Treg Taylor similarly expressed disappointment over the cross-party endorsement.
The rift deepens ongoing friction between Murkowski and Donald Trump. Trump took to Truth Social following the endorsement to intensify his attacks, labeling her the Republicans’ Worst Senator, by far,
and describing her as a DISGRACE to Alaska and our Country.
This escalation follows another recent clash over a federal lawsuit filed by the Trump administration against Alaska election officials regarding ballot positioning for Senate candidate Dan J. Sullivan Jr.
The Ranked-Choice Voting Context
Alaska utilizes a ranked-choice voting system, a mechanism that Trump has publicly denounced as a DEMOCRAT SCAM
in his social media commentary. With three prominent Republicans on the ballot alongside Kreiss-Tomkins, political observers note that ranked-choice dynamics could heavily influence vote transfers.
| Candidate | Party Affiliation | Key Endorsement / Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins | Democratic | Endorsed by Sen. Lisa Murkowski |
| Bernadette Wilson | Republican | Endorsed by President Donald Trump |
| Dave Bronson | Republican | Former Anchorage Mayor |
| Treg Taylor | Republican | Former State Attorney General |
While Murkowski is not up for re-election until 2028, her willingness to publicly cross party lines continues to reshape political alliances across the state. As voters head to the polls next week, the outcome will test whether a bipartisan coalition can capture the executive office in a traditionally conservative state.
