Lisa Murkowski to Vote Against Pete Hegseth

In a move that is equal parts predictable and disappointing, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) has announced her intention to vote against Pete Hegseth’s nomination for Secretary of Defense.

In a lengthy statement she posted to X, which dripped with platitudes and feigned moral superiority, she provided little more than a laundry list of overblown grievances and flimsy justifications.

“After thorough evaluation, I must conclude that I cannot in good conscience support his nomination for Secretary of Defense,” she wrote.

Of course, she claimed to have undertaken a “thorough evaluation,” yet her explanation reeks more of the political posturing of a RINO than genuine concern for our national defense.

Let’s address the irony of her statement. Murkowski admits, “I commend Pete Hegseth’s service to our nation, including leading troops in combat and advocating for our veterans.”

High praise, indeed, but she immediately undercut it with her assertion that these accomplishments aren’t enough. According to Murkowski, the Department of Defense is “one of the most complex and powerful organizations in the world,” and she believes Hegseth lacks the experience to manage it.

Let’s put this in context. Murkowski voted to confirm Lloyd Austin as Secretary of Defense, who may have been qualified on paper but turned out to be a scandalous and incompetent Secretary of Defense.

Sounding more like a Democrat than a Republican, Murkowski then dredged up accusations of financial mismanagement and workplace issues from Hegseth’s tenure leading veteran organizations.

Her hand-wringing over Hegseth’s past statements on women in combat is equally unconvincing. Murkowski acknowledges that Hegseth has revised his position but still frets over the “message” his confirmation might send.

Although he has recently revised his statements on women in combat since being nominated, I remain concerned about the message that confirming Mr. Hegseth sends to women currently serving and those aspiring to join. Women have served our nation with distinction, overcoming immense obstacles to excel in combat and leadership roles, and they deserve to know that their leader honors and values their commitment to our nation.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) addressed pretty much everything Murkowski said to justify her opposition to Hegseth’s nomination in his strong defense of Hegseth last week.

Of course, no Murkowski tirade would be complete without dragging in personal attacks. She brings up “allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking,” paired with his admitted infidelity. When was the last time a Democrat nominee was deemed unfit to serve based on unproven allegations?

This sanctimonious claim falls flat when you consider Murkowski’s long history of enabling questionable nominees and caving to political pressures. Not only did she support Austin’s confirmation as Secretary of Defense, but she also supported Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation as a Supreme Court justice, even though Jackson was a potentially antisemitic supporter of critical race theory with a long record of leniency for child porn offenders who couldn’t define what a woman is.

The only thing Murkowski has taught us is that she’s not the best judge of character.