By SUZANNE DOWNING
Oct. 27, 2026 – Sen. Lisa Murkowski has endorsed Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins for Alaska governor, choosing the former Sitka legislator over the three Republicans on the November ballot.
The endorsement puts Murkowski and President Donald Trump on opposite sides of another consequential Alaska election. Trump endorsed Republican Bernadette Wilson on Oct. 13. Murkowski is backing the Democrat rather than any Republican.
For anyone who bought the earlier campaign-season portrayal of Wilson as politically aligned with Murkowski, the endorsement offers a clear corrective: The senator’s choice is a radical Democrat.
Wilson’s political history may offer some clues: In 2010, she worked on Joe Miller’s campaign against Murkowski. She was helping the effort to replace Murkowski 16 years before entering the governor’s race.
Miller defeated Murkowski in the Republican primary that year. Murkowski subsequently retained her Senate seat through a write-in campaign.
Now they are again on opposite sides.
Murkowski’s endorsement gives Kreiss-Tomkins a prominent Republican supporter as he competes against Wilson, former Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson, and former Attorney General Treg Taylor. Kreiss-Tomkins is the only Democrat among those four candidates; the other Republicans refuse to suspend their campaigns and support Wilson.
The choice also sharpens the question of how Alaska’s next governor would work with the White House.
Wilson has made cooperation with the Trump administration central to her campaign, particularly on energy and resource development. Her national media appearances have emphasized Alaska LNG and the Ambler Road project as opportunities she wants to advance with the president. Kreiss-Tomkins has a less clear stance on the Alaska economy.
For Alaska voters, the practical question goes beyond which candidate collects the most recognizable names. It is who can turn relationships in Washington into permits, infrastructure, investment, and durable economic opportunities at home.
5 thoughts on “Breaking: Lisa Murkowski abandons Republicans, endorses JKT for governor”
I’m shocked!! No, really..HAHAHAH ( snort!)
Murkowski is not a Republican. She is absolutely not a conservative. Her endorsement is not an endorsement by a ‘leading Republican’. She is a fraudulent Republican with little scruples. She is leftist, petty, and owned. Hence no surprise she would align with the leftist on the ticket.
Lisa a Republican? She has always been a Democrat even when she was in Juneau representing Anchorage! She/He needs to Go away to California with Daddy Frank.
Why do conservatives keep voting for this trash? Yes on 2 and anybody but this trash in 2028!
The murky one is not even a RINO, she’s a stealth D. Less stealth now.
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Ad mentioned above, she was a tax, tax, and spend liberal in the state house.
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Remember this in 2 years!