Alaska Republican gubernatorial candidate Bernadette Wilson didn't mince words after Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, crossed party lines to endorse her Democratic opponent — calling the senior senator a "so-called Republican" whose endorsement of Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins should surprise no one.
"It should not surprise anyone. They're two peas in a pod, and I can tell you that as governor," Wilson told Fox News Digital. "It doesn't surprise me that she is supporting the just keep taxing JKT."
The Trump-backed candidate went on to list Kreiss-Tomkins' policy positions: support for an income tax increase, doubling the state fuel tax, going after oil companies, and opposing a full Permanent Fund Dividend payout. Wilson argued those positions align neatly with Murkowski's own record, accusing both of backing what she called "socialist policies."
At an August candidate forum hosted by the Alaska Oil and Gas Association, Kreiss-Tomkins said he believes "broad-based tax and revenues of that nature are likely going to be necessary to balance our budget."
Murkowski's Long Record of Breaking with Republicans
Wilson said she has been "sounding the alarm since 2010 about the fact that she was [subscribing] to extreme liberal socialist policies," referring to Murkowski.
The timing of the endorsement raised eyebrows in Alaska political circles. President Donald Trump endorsed Wilson on Oct. 13, just days before Murkowski announced her support for Kreiss-Tomkins. Wilson said she would not "assign motive" to Murkowski's decision, though she did not rule out the possibility that it was intended as a rebuke of the president.
Murkowski has opposed several Trump-backed priorities in the 119th Congress. She voted against the SAVE America Act, which would impose proof-of-citizenship requirements for voter registration, writing in a July Wall Street Journal op-ed that the bill "would impose costly new barriers and prevent some, perhaps many, from voting, while also creating chaos before the November elections." In January, she joined Senate Democrats in voting for a War Powers Resolution that would have limited military action against Iran.
According to Daily Kos, the Heritage Foundation gives Murkowski a lifetime score of just 36% for voting with its positions, compared to 78% for the average Republican senator. The outlet also noted she voted in line with former President Joe Biden's positions more than 64% of the time.
A Familiar Alaska Fight
This isn't the first time Murkowski has thrown her weight behind a Democrat. In 2024, she endorsed Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola in her House reelection bid.
Murkowski's endorsement of Kreiss-Tomkins comes amid a separate Alaska controversy: the alleged "Decoy Dan" scheme, in which operatives reportedly recruited a second candidate named Dan Sullivan to siphon votes from Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. According to Fox News, Murkowski broke four years of silence on her personal X account to condemn the reported ballot-stacking effort, saying the report "revealed… a pattern of lies and coverups" on the part of Peltola's team.
That statement — "recruiting candidates to manipulate the field and influence voting outcomes is simply wrong" — stands in contrast to her decision to endorse the Democratic gubernatorial candidate just days after Trump endorsed Wilson.
Our Take
Here's the thing, folks: Lisa Murkowski has spent years telling Alaskans she's a Republican. Her voting record tells a different story. She sides with Democrats on elections. She sides with Democrats on war powers. And now she's siding with a Democrat who wants to raise income taxes, double the fuel tax, and stick it to the oil industry — the lifeblood of Alaska's economy.
Wilson is right. This isn't complicated. Murkowski's endorsement of Kreiss-Tomkins is a gift to the Left and a slap in the face to every Alaskan who voted for Trump in 2024. The senator knows exactly what she's doing. She's not confused about her party. She's just not interested in being a Republican when it counts.
Alaskans have a choice on Election Day: a Trump-endorsed outsider who wants to cut taxes and protect the Permanent Fund Dividend, or a Democrat backed by the very senator who helped Biden's agenda for years.
Patriots, this is why primaries matter. This is why party labels matter. And this is why Lisa Murkowski's days as a Republican should be numbered. The question is simple: will Alaska voters finally hold her accountable?
