Lisa Murkowski Crosses Party Lines to Endorse Democrat in Alaska’s Four-Way Governor’s Race
Republican U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski made a surprise endorsement Tuesday in the Alaska governor’s race, throwing her support behind Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins in the final week before Election Day, Alaska’s News Source reported. In a campaign news release emailed to reporters Tuesday afternoon, Murkowski pointed to a widespread public appetite for change and praised the former Sitka state lawmaker’s commitment to bipartisanship, encouraging Alaskans of every political stripe to consider backing him.
The endorsement delivers a high-profile Republican boost to Kreiss-Tomkins as he competes in a crowded four-way race to succeed term-limited Mike Dunleavy. Recent polling shows Kreiss-Tomkins leading a field that includes three Republicans: Bernadette Wilson, former Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson, and former state Attorney General Treg Taylor.
Murkowski, who has a long track record of crossing party lines, did not hold back her criticism of the outgoing administration during her announcement. Speaking with Rebecca Palsha on Tuesday, the state’s senior senator argued that the Dunleavy administration had left crucial federal money on the table, pointing specifically to failures in supporting the Alaska Marine Highway System.
“Alaskans are seeking change. They don’t like the status quo,” Murkowski said. “I think it’s been a hard eight years in many different areas, and Alaskans are looking for something different.”
Kreiss-Tomkins has made bipartisan cooperation the centerpiece of his campaign after representing a relatively conservative state House district in the Legislature for a decade. He has already pledged to fill his cabinet with Republicans and independents alongside Democrats, a pitch that earned him praise from the senator.
“JKT is a young Alaskan with a view and a perspective that I think Alaska needs right now,” Murkowski said, describing him as a common-sense leader capable of working with the legislature. She emphasized that cooperation in Juneau is essential for the state’s federal delegation to achieve results back in Washington, D.C.
A Growing List of Cross-Party Endorsements
Murkowski is far from the only prominent conservative backing the Democratic nominee. Kreiss-Tomkins has also won the support of a variety of former Republican state legislators, as well as Senator Murkowski’s father, former Governor Frank Murkowski. The elder Murkowski endorsed Kreiss-Tomkins in an Anchorage Daily News op-ed coauthored alongside two other former governors: independent Bill Walker and Democrat Tony Knowles.
🚨 U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski endorsed Democratic candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins for Alaska governor on Tuesday, calling the former Sitka lawmaker a young Alaskan with the perspective the state needs.“I am announcing my endorsement of Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins,” Murkowski told… pic.twitter.com/Ye9k41Gg2j
This dynamic highlights the unique nature of Alaska politics, particularly under the state’s ranked-choice voting system. Voters rank candidates in order of preference, with low-performing candidates eliminated and their votes redistributed until one candidate secures a majority.
Murkowski’s willingness to break with her party is well-documented. She previously endorsed Democrat Mary Peltola in 2024 during her reelection campaign for the U.S. House, and she famously opposed the 2018 Supreme Court confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh. At the same time, she has maintained selective alignment with Republican incumbents, endorsing Dan Sullivan in his reelection campaign earlier this cycle.
Those cross-party moves have drawn sharp pushback from national and state Republican figures. President Donald Trump, who endorsed Republican candidate Bernadette Wilson on October 13 ahead of a Wasilla rally, has repeatedly criticized Murkowski, calling her a disgrace to the state and labeling ranked-choice voting a scam.
When asked about her standing with the state party, Murkowski offered a direct defense of her legislative priorities. “I recognize that [I have not always been on the Alaska Republican Party’s good list], but that’s not my directive,” she said. “My directive is to serve the people of the state of Alaska. And that does mean Republicans and it does mean Democrats and means Independents and means people who choose not to be affiliated with any party at all.”
Republican Rivals Respond to the Surprise Support
The Republican field reacted quickly to the high-stakes endorsement as campaigning entered its final stretch. Wilson, whom Trump endorsed earlier this month, has repeatedly urged her fellow Republican contenders Bronson and Taylor to drop out of the race to avoid splitting the conservative vote.
Bronson responded to Murkowski’s announcement within an hour, maintaining a steady focus on his own campaign platform.
“That is her decision to make,” Bronson said, adding that his loyalty remains with the people of Alaska rather than any political figure or endorsement. Treg Taylor similarly expressed disappointment regarding the senator’s decision to back a Democrat.
With voting concluding soon, the question remains whether conservative voters will follow Murkowski’s cross-party guidance or choose among the remaining alternatives.
