Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) endorsed Democratic candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins for governor of Alaska on Tuesday. The announcement marks a dramatic break with President Donald Trump and the overwhelming majority of the Republican conference.
The announcement came in an interview with KTUU reporter Rebecca Palsha and in a statement distributed to reporters and the Kreiss-Tomkins campaign.
Kreiss-Tomkins, widely known as JKT, is the sole Democrat in the race to succeed term-limited Republican Governor Mike Dunleavy. The other candidates are Republicans Bernadette Wilson, Dave Bronson, and Treg Taylor. Alaska uses ranked-choice voting in the November 3 general election, which forces voters to rank candidates in order of preference.
Polling has largely shown Kreiss-Tomkins leading, in part because the Republican vote is divided among three candidates.
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Just in: Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski has endorsed Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, the Alaska Democratic Candidate for Governor pic.twitter.com/jkanvV3LxY
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“JKT is a young Alaskan with a view and a perspective that I think Alaska needs right now,” Murkowski said in the interview with KTUU.
She added that the state needs a governor willing to work with lawmakers in Juneau and focused on building rather than halting action. “We need a governor who’s going to work with the legislature,” the senator said. “That has got to happen for the delegation to be successful back in Washington DC.”
Murkowski went on to criticize Dunleavy’s administration. “I have found fault. I have found fault with the Dunleavy administration. I think that they have left federal money on the table. I think in certain areas, where we have worked hard to put opportunities from the federal side, here, into the state, the state has failed with it.” She specifically mentioned the Alaska Marine Highway System as a point of contention.
When addressing past criticism for not always aligning with the Alaska Republican Party, Murkowski said she recognized that she has “not always been on the Alaska Republican Party’s good list.” She continued, “I recognize that, but that’s not my directive. My directive is to serve the people of the state of Alaska. And that does mean Republicans and it does mean Democrats and means Independents and it does mean people who choose not to be affiliated with any party at all.”
In a prepared statement, Murkowski said, “Our future is too important to be hamstrung by partisan divisions. Jonathan understands that governing requires listening to people with different perspectives and finding common ground to solve the problems all of us face. Alaska needs a serious conversation about our fiscal future, as well as a focus on the cost of energy and growing our economy. I believe Jonathan is committed to working toward solutions that serve all Alaskans, regardless of party.”
Murkowski has previously crossed party lines in high-profile state races, including by endorsing Democrat Mary Peltola for re-election to the U.S. House in 2024. Separately, she has endorsed her Republican colleague, U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan, for re-election in 2026.
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