A sitting Republican senator just told Alaska voters to pick the Democrat for governor over three members of her own party.
Quick Take
- Senator Lisa Murkowski endorsed Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins for Alaska governor on October 27, 2026.
- She called him “a young Alaskan with a view and a perspective that I think Alaska needs right now.”
- Her father, former Republican Senator Frank Murkowski, and two other ex-governors also back Kreiss-Tomkins.
- The endorsement skips over three Republican candidates on the November 3 ballot.
- Murkowski has crossed party lines before, including her 2024 endorsement of Democrat Mary Peltola.
Senator Breaks With Her Party on Governor’s Race
Senator Lisa Murkowski announced her support for Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins in an interview with Alaska’s News Source reporter Rebecca Palsha on October 27. “I am announcing my endorsement of Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins,” she said. She described him as someone with “a view and a perspective that I think Alaska needs right now.”
The timing matters. Alaska’s general election is set for November 3, just one week after the announcement. Murkowski chose to back a Democrat over three Republicans competing for the state’s top office, a move that surprised many who track Alaska politics closely.
Campaign Statement Highlights Bipartisan Message
Kreiss-Tomkins’ campaign released a written statement quoting Murkowski’s reasoning. “Our future is too important to be hamstrung by partisan divisions,” she said in the release. The campaign used her words to paint Kreiss-Tomkins, a former state lawmaker from Sitka, as a candidate who can work across party lines during a tense political moment nationwide.
Murkowski is not the only well-known Alaskan backing the Democrat. Her father, former Republican Senator Frank Murkowski, joined her in supporting Kreiss-Tomkins. Two other former governors, Democrat Tony Knowles and independent Bill Walker, also threw their support behind him, forming a rare bipartisan group of past state leaders uniting against the Republican field.
Not the First Time Murkowski Has Crossed Party Lines
This is not new territory for Alaska’s senior senator. Murkowski endorsed Democrat Mary Peltola in 2024 during Peltola’s bid for reelection to the United States House of Representatives. That same year, Murkowski also backed Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, showing her endorsements often depend on the specific candidate rather than a blanket party loyalty.
Alaska’s political system makes these moves more common than in many other states. The state’s candidate-centered elections and history of independent-minded voters give room for politicians like Murkowski to pick people over party labels. Still, backing a Democrat for governor over three Republicans marks one of her most direct breaks with her own party this cycle.
Reactions Split Along Expected Lines
Conservative commentators quickly criticized the move. One opinion piece from The Gateway Pundit labeled Murkowski a “RINO,” a term critics use for Republicans they see as not conservative enough, and accused her of showing her “true colors.” The reaction reflects ongoing frustration among some Republican voters who feel certain party leaders prioritize personal relationships or moderate politics over party unity.
Research on political endorsements suggests these moves can cut both ways. One large study covering over 85,000 survey respondents found that endorsements sometimes persuade voters who already trust the endorser, but can backfire among those who do not. Cross-party endorsements, in particular, do not always widen a candidate’s support and can sometimes create backlash instead.
Whether Murkowski’s endorsement shifts votes in Alaska’s governor’s race remains to be seen once ballots are counted after November 3. What is clear is that a sitting Republican senator publicly chose a Democrat over her own party’s candidates, a decision that adds to a broader pattern of voters and politicians alike questioning strict party loyalty in favor of individual judgment.
Sources:
mediaite.com, yahoo.com, alaskasnewssource.com, thehill.com, juneauindependent.com
