Trump-backed Alaska candidate blasts ‘so-called Republican’ Murkowski for endorsing Dem
Alaska Republican gubernatorial candidate Bernadette Wilson criticised Senator Lisa Murkowski for endorsing Democratic candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, calling her a “so-called Republican”. Wilson said the endorsement was unsurprising because she believes their views on taxes and the oil industry are similar.
Wilson cited Kreiss-Tomkins’s support for considering broad-based taxes to balance Alaska’s budget, and accused him of favouring higher income and fuel taxes and changes affecting oil companies and the state’s permanent fund dividend. President Donald Trump endorsed Wilson on 13 October, before Murkowski backed Kreiss-Tomkins; the article also notes Murkowski’s disagreements with Trump on voting legislation and war powers. Murkowski and Kreiss-Tomkins did not respond to requests for comment.
In short
- Murkowski endorsed Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins for Alaska governor.
- Republican candidate Bernadette Wilson criticised the endorsement over policy differences.
- Trump endorsed Wilson on 13 October.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Wilson’s criticism can be seen as a defence of clear party commitments: voters may reasonably expect a Republican senator to support the Republican candidate, especially when the candidates appear to differ on taxes and oil policy. From this perspective, Murkowski’s endorsement risks blurring those differences and lending Republican credibility to a Democrat whose proposals could affect households, energy businesses and Alaska’s dividend programme.
The case against
Murkowski’s endorsement can be defended as an independent judgement about which candidate would best serve Alaska, rather than an obligation to follow party lines or Trump’s preference. A senator may reasonably support a Democrat whose approach she considers stronger, and disagreement with Trump on voting rules or war powers does not by itself make her less entitled to identify as a Republican.
Explained simply
Alaska elects its governor separately from its two US senators. The governor helps set state policy and budgets, while senators represent Alaska in Congress in Washington.
Lisa Murkowski is a Republican senator who has sometimes disagreed with President Donald Trump. Bernadette Wilson is a Republican candidate for governor, and Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins is running as a Democrat.
Alaska’s budget depends heavily on oil revenue, and residents may receive annual payments from the state’s Permanent Fund, which is built from oil wealth. Debates over taxes, oil policy and those payments are central to how candidates propose to fund public services.