Alaska’s Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski says she plans on ranking Democratic U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola first in the U.S. House race on the Nov. 8 ballot, where Murkowski’s own name will also appear as she runs for a fourth term.
Murkowski broke the news after delivering remarks to a packed room of Alaska Federation of Natives convention delegates at Anchorage’s Dena’ina Center, where she was greeted with a standing ovation and frequently interrupted with rounds of applause. Her remarks focused on what she sees as reasons for optimism for the state, in particular the massive amounts of federal funding set to pour in as a result of pandemic relief and infrastructure spending.
“This is the largest infrastructure investment in our history,” Murkowski said, noting that more than $2.4 billion is slated for Alaska in the coming years, a large portion of it earmarked for rural communities. “It’s a historic investment in your communities.”
Her speech also touched on the U.S. House seat held for almost five decades by the late Don Young, and won in an August special election by Peltola, who is running in the general election for the full two-year term that begins in January.
“I can’t help but think of our new partner here in the Congress. I miss Don Young every single day, I think we all do,” Murkowski said. “It’s gonna be impossible to replace him, but I will tell you I’m so happy to welcome Mary Peltola as our representative for all of Alaska.”
After her speech, in answer to a reporter’s question, Murkowski said she would rank Peltola as her first choice for the House seat.
Peltola is running against two Republicans: Former Gov. Sarah Palin, and conservative Nick Begich III.
“Mary is a friend. … We have been friends for 25 years, and the fact that we’re Republican and Democrat has never interfered with that friendship,” Murkowski said.
The 65-year-old senator said that she’s been a Republican since registering to vote at age 18, and that she still believes in party tenets of limited government and strong national defense — but feels no obligation to stick to partisan orthodoxy.
“I know that bothers some people who want me to be that rigid, partisan person, and I’m just not. I’m not, haven’t been, and I won’t be,” Murkowski said. “I do not toe the party line just because party leaders have asked or because it may be expected. My first obligation is to the people of the state of Alaska.”
That openness to bipartisanship, compromise and breaking with the party has led Murkowski to face sanction by Alaska Republicans in recent years, including censure from different district chapters and the state party leadership’s endorsement of her challenger to the right in this year’s Senate race, Republican Kelly Tshibaka.
But she’s had a vexed relationship with the party’s governing apparatus since 2010, when she mounted a winning write-in campaign after losing the primary to far-right challenger Joe Miller. That effort succeeded without support from the Alaska GOP, and with a huge turnout from voters across Bush Alaska.
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