For years, Alaska’s senior senator, Lisa Murkowski, has walked a tightrope, balancing the interests of moderate Republicans and enough pragmatic Democrats to keep her seat secure. She’s weathered primary defeats, write-in campaigns, and the ever-changing winds of Alaska’s unique political climate, protected largely at this point by ranked-choice voting. But now, the coalition that has kept her in power is showing unmistakable cracks.
The Alaska Democratic Party, which once seemed content to prop up Murkowski as the lesser of two evils, is no longer content to do so. The party held an “emergency town hall” recently, and it didn’t just feature the usual grumbling. It brought in Arizona Democrat Ruben Gallego to take direct aim at Murkowski and her Republican colleague Dan Sullivan, lambasting them for supporting the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Gallego’s rhetoric was pure, unfiltered leftist outrage, in which he accused Murkowski of “selling out her constituents by backing billionaire tax cuts while slashing Medicaid and children’s health care,” and predicting dire consequences for Alaska’s most vulnerable.
“Alaska’s senators sold out their constituents by backing billionaire tax cuts while slashing Medicaid and children’s health care,” Gallego said in a statement. “People will die because of these cuts, thousands will lose coverage, and families will face impossible choices.”
Can you hear me rolling my eyes?
But rest assured that this isn’t just talk. The same Democrats who cleared Murkowski’s path to re-election in 2022 by running only token opposition are now circulating flyers that read, “COWARDS DON’T BELONG IN ALASKA — Get Murkowski out in 2028.” Even Mary Peltola, Alaska’s most prominent Democrat, has started taking public jabs at Murkowski, signaling a break from the uneasy alliance that’s kept Murkowski afloat.
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Murkowski’s troubles don’t end with the Democrats. Her vote for the OBBB was a calculated move, designed to bring home federal dollars and secure waivers for programs like SNAP. But the real legislative wins for Alaska — the kind that put money in the pockets of Alaskans — came from Rep. Nick Begich, not Murkowski. Begich delivered a substantial increase in Alaska’s share of oil and gas lease revenues, strengthening the state’s Permanent Fund and providing tangible benefits to every Alaskan. Murkowski’s maneuvering looks more like political self-preservation than genuine leadership.
And it's not going to fool Alaska Republicans.
Despite her legendary resilience, Murkowski is now facing hostility from both sides. Democrats are sharpening their knives, and Republicans have never truly trusted her. She’s mused about turning independent, but after her OBBB vote, that gesture is unlikely to win back the left. If Murkowski is to be retired, it won’t be the Democrats who do it. Alaska Republicans have a golden opportunity — if they can unite behind a solid, conservative candidate and avoid the usual circular firing squad.
It’s hard to believe that after all these years, Alaska Democrats would be foolish enough to abandon their alliance with Lisa Murkowski, but that just shows how far left the party has drifted. Their radical turn may finally be catching up with them. Ironically, the Democrats’ sudden hostility toward Murkowski could end up being the best gift they’ve ever handed the Alaska GOP.
So is Murkowski doomed? For the first time in her career, the answer might be yes — if Alaska conservatives seize this golden opportunity to send her into retirement.
