Murkowski backs Alaska Democrat for governor

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) endorsed Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins in Alaska’s governor’s race Tuesday, crossing party lines to back the former state lawmaker over three Republican candidates.

In a statement released by Kreiss-Tomkins’ campaign, Murkowski praised the Democrat for his commitment to bipartisanship, arguing that Alaska needs a governor willing to work with lawmakers from both parties.

“Our future is too important to be hamstrung by partisan divisions,” Murkowski said. “Jonathan understands that governing requires listening to people with different perspectives and finding common ground to solve the problems all of us face.”

In an interview with Alaska News Source , Murkowski ripped outgoing Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s (R) administration for failing to take advantage of federal funding opportunities.

“I have found fault with the Dunleavy administration,” she said. 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.”

Kreiss-Tomkins, who represented Sitka and surrounding communities in the state House for a decade, has campaigned on bipartisan cooperation. He pledged to include Republicans and independents in his administration if elected.

“I’m honored to have Senator Murkowski’s support,” he said in a statement. “Alaskans deserve a government that can work through disagreements and make progress on the issues that matter.”

The endorsement comes just a week before Election Day, where Kreiss-Tomkins leads a four-way race to replace the term-limited Dunleavy. A September New York Times/Siena poll found Kreiss-Tomkins leading with 40 percent support among likely voters, followed by Bernadette Wilson (R) at 20 percent, former Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson (R) at 15 percent and former Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor (R) at 11 percent.

President Trump, a critic of ranked-choice voting , endorsed Wilson earlier this month and has urged Bronson and Taylor to drop out of the race to avoid splitting the Republican vote.

Trump has repeatedly attacked Murkowski for crossing party lines, calling her the “Republicans’ Worst Senator” and a “DISGRACE to Alaska and our Country” in a recent Truth Social post.

Murkowski, who has frequently broken with her party, previously endorsed former Rep. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska) in her unsuccessful 2024 reelection bid. She is backing Sen. Dan Sullivan (R) in his reelection campaign against Peltola this year.