Murkowski Endorses Democrat Kreiss-Tomkins in Alaska Governor's Race

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska, endorsed Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins for governor on Tuesday, breaking with her party to back the former state lawmaker over three Republican candidates. In a statement released through the Kreiss-Tomkins campaign, Murkowski said Alaska's future is too important to be hamstrung by partisan divisions and said he understands that governing means listening to people with different perspectives. She said Alaska needs a serious conversation about its fiscal future, the cost of energy and economic growth, and she urged Alaskans of every party to look closely at Kreiss-Tomkins and his running mate, Anchorage Assemblyman Zac Johnson, an independent. Kreiss-Tomkins said he was honored and pledged to work with the congressional delegation, the legislature, industry and communities. The race to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy is rated "leans Democrat" by the Cook Political Report. Kreiss-Tomkins faces Republicans Dave Bronson, the former Anchorage mayor, Treg Taylor, the former attorney general, and a third Republican candidate, Bernadette. In 2024 Murkowski endorsed Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola's unsuccessful reelection bid, though this year she has voiced support for Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, who is running against Peltola.

The Washington Examiner, on the right, leads with the political effect, saying the endorsement could move the needle for the only Democrat on Alaska's ranked choice ballot. It quotes Murkowski at length, gives the nickname JKT, names running mate Zac Johnson, and adds the Cook rating and the Republican field. HuffPost, on the left, frames the move as a break with her party and notes that she was one of seven Republicans who voted to convict Donald Trump in his 2021 impeachment trial. It includes Kreiss-Tomkins's response on cooperation over conflict and recounts her past endorsements, including Peltola and Sullivan. Both outlets share the core statement and quotes. The Examiner stresses electoral math and the race's standing, while HuffPost stresses her record of crossing party lines. The Hill, listed as alternative, largely matches the basic facts, noting she backed him over three Republicans and praised his bipartisanship.