Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski endorsed Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins for Alaska governor, saying the state needs a leader who can work past party lines.
Story Highlights
- Murkowski, a Republican, backed Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins over three Republicans in the race for governor.
- Her pick puts her against Bernadette Wilson, the Republican President Trump endorsed on October 13.
- Murkowski said Kreiss-Tomkins listens to people with different views and finds common ground.
- Alaskans vote on Tuesday, November 3, and a September poll had Kreiss-Tomkins in the lead.
- Her own father, former Republican Gov. Frank Murkowski, also endorsed Kreiss-Tomkins.
Murkowski Publicly Backs a Democrat for Governor
Alaska’s senior senator announced her choice on Tuesday, October 27, in an on-camera interview with a local TV reporter. “I am announcing my endorsement of Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins,” Murkowski said. She called him a young Alaskan “with a view and a perspective” the state needs. Kreiss-Tomkins, often called JKT, is a former state lawmaker from Sitka and the only Democrat in the race.
She gave her reason in a statement the Kreiss-Tomkins campaign emailed to reporters that afternoon. “Our future is too important to be hamstrung by partisan divisions,” she said. “Jonathan understands that governing requires listening to people with different perspectives and finding common ground.” She urged “Alaskans of every political stripe” to consider backing him.
A Break With Trump’s Pick
The endorsement sets Murkowski against President Trump once more. Trump endorsed Republican Bernadette Wilson on Tuesday, October 13, hours before a rally in Wasilla. He has called Murkowski a “DISGRACE to Alaska and our Country.” Wilson and Trump have both asked the other two Republicans, former Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson and former state Attorney General Treg Taylor, to drop out so they do not split the Republican vote. All three Republicans remain on the ballot.
Murkowski has crossed party lines before. In 2024 she backed Democrat Mary Peltola for the U.S. House, a race Peltola lost to Republican Nick Begich. This year she endorsed Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan for reelection, even though Peltola is running against him. In 2018 she did not vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Her record shows she picks candidates one race at a time, not by party label.
Former Governors Add Institutional Weight
Murkowski is not the only big name in his corner. Three former Alaska governors also endorsed Kreiss-Tomkins in a newspaper opinion piece: Democrat Tony Knowles, independent Bill Walker, and Republican Frank Murkowski, who is the senator’s father. Several former Republican state lawmakers back him too. He has pledged to fill his cabinet with Republicans and independents as well as Democrats.
The winner will replace Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy, who cannot run again because of term limits. A September poll of likely voters had Kreiss-Tomkins at about 40%, Wilson at about 20%, Bronson at about 15% and Taylor at about 11%. Kreiss-Tomkins has also raised more money than the three Republicans combined, according to reports.
How Much Do Endorsements Move Voters?
Alaska uses ranked-choice voting in its general election. Voters rank the candidates in order of preference. If no one wins more than half of the first choices, the last-place candidate is dropped and those ballots move to each voter’s next choice. That means second choices can matter a great deal in a crowded race.
Research on endorsements cuts both ways. Large survey experiments have found that an endorsement can win over voters who like the person giving it and push away voters who dislike that person. For Republicans who already distrust Murkowski, her name may carry little weight. For independents who like her, it may carry more.
What It Signals to Conservatives
For conservative voters, the endorsement makes one thing plain: a Republican label does not guarantee a Republican vote from every officeholder in Alaska. It also shows how much statewide races there can turn on personality and coalition-building rather than party platforms.
Endorsements grab headlines, but governors write budgets, appoint regulators and set the course on resource development. Voters who want lower energy costs and fewer mandates can look closely at each candidate’s plan and record on oil, gas, mining and permits, in a state where those industries help pay many family bills.
Bottom Line for Alaska Voters
Senator Murkowski endorsed Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins for governor one week before Election Day, and three former governors stand with him as well. Trump’s pick, Bernadette Wilson, faces a split Republican field. Alaskans settle it at the polls on Tuesday, November 3.
Sources:
yahoo.com, alaskapublic.org, alaskasnewssource.com, thehill.com, juneauindependent.com
