Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski Defies Trump to Endorse Democrat in Alaska Governor's Race
The Justice Department sued over possible voter confusion in Alaska’s Senate race.
Oct. 28 2026, Published 1:38 p.m. ET
Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski endorsed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins on Tuesday, crossing party lines in Alaska's closely watched race to replace term-limited Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
Murkowski said she believes Kreiss-Tomkins, a former state lawmaker known as JKT, can work across party lines at a time when Alaska needs cooperation on its fiscal future, energy costs and economic growth.
"JKT is a young Alaskan with a view and a perspective that I think Alaska needs right now," Murkowski told KTUU-TV's Rebecca Palsha.
The endorsement puts Murkowski directly at odds with President Donald Trump, who endorsed Republican candidate Bernadette Wilson earlier this month.
Murkowski Backs Kreiss-Tomkins' Bipartisan Approach
Murkowski endorsed Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins for Alaska governor.
Murkowski said Alaska needs a governor who can work with lawmakers in Juneau rather than allowing partisan divisions to interfere with governing.
"We need a governor who's going to work with the Legislature," she said.
In a statement released by Kreiss-Tomkins' campaign, Murkowski said the candidate understands the importance of listening to people with different perspectives and finding common ground.
She encouraged Alaskans of different political affiliations to consider the Democratic ticket.
Kreiss-Tomkins served in the Alaska House from 2013 to 2023 and represented a relatively conservative district.
His campaign has made bipartisan cooperation a central part of his pitch, including a pledge to include Republicans and independents in his administration.
Murkowski's father, former Republican Gov. Frank Murkowski, also endorsed Kreiss-Tomkins on Tuesday alongside former governors Tony Knowles, a Democrat, and Bill Walker, an independent.
Republican Field Gives Democrat an Opening
Murkowski said Alaskans do not need federal help choosing their candidates.
Kreiss-Tomkins is the only Democrat on the November ballot. He faces Republicans Wilson, former Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson, and former Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor in the Nov. 3 ranked-choice election.
The divided Republican field has become a central issue in the race. Trump and Wilson have urged Bronson and Taylor to leave the contest, arguing that multiple Republican candidates could split the vote. Taylor has refused to withdraw.
A September New York Times/Siena poll found Kreiss-Tomkins leading with 40% of likely voters, followed by Wilson at 20%, Bronson at 15% and Taylor at 11%. More recent polling has also shown Kreiss-Tomkins ahead.
Taylor was briefly removed from the ballot in August after the Alaska Public Offices Commission found that his financial disclosure did not substantially comply with state requirements. Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom later certified his nomination, keeping him in the race.
Murkowski has also criticized the Republican administration she is now seeking to replace, saying Alaska missed opportunities to secure federal funding.
She specifically pointed to the Alaska Marine Highway System while arguing that the state needs a governor focused on practical results rather than party divisions.
"Our future is too important to be hamstrung by partisan divisions," Murkowski said in her endorsement statement.
The senator has previously crossed party lines in major endorsements. She backed Democrat Mary Peltola in her 2022 and 2024 House campaigns, although Murkowski endorsed Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan for reelection this year while Peltola is challenging him.
Trump-Murkowski Feud Escalates
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The feud follows earlier clashes over war powers and voter ID legislation.
Murkowski's endorsement comes as her long-running conflict with Trump has intensified.
Trump endorsed Wilson on Oct. 13 and has repeatedly attacked Murkowski, including a Truth Social post in which he called her the "Republicans' Worst Senator, by far" and a "DISGRACE to Alaska and our Country."
He has also criticized Alaska's ranked-choice voting system.
The latest clash followed Murkowski's criticism of a Justice Department lawsuit seeking to prevent certification of Alaska's Senate election results if Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan narrowly loses to Democrat Mary Peltola.
The lawsuit centers on the potential confusion between Sullivan and another candidate with a nearly identical name.
Murkowski and Trump have clashed for years over party loyalty and his administration's policies.
She was among seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, and Trump supported Kelly Tshibaka's unsuccessful challenge to Murkowski in 2022.
Now, with Election Day less than a week away, Murkowski is backing a Democrat over Trump's preferred Republican candidate in a race where ranked-choice voting and a divided GOP field could play a decisive role.
