Murkowski Backs Democrat Kreiss-Tomkins

Senate candidate Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, endorsed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins on Tuesday. The announcement places the Republican senator on the opposite side of the race from President Donald Trump, who backed Bernadette Wilson. Murkowski also supported Zac Johnson, Kreiss-Tomkins' nonpartisan lieutenant governor running mate.

Murkowski described Kreiss-Tomkins as a common-sense leader capable of working with people from different backgrounds. She argued that Alaska's future is too important to be held back by partisan divisions. The senator emphasized the need for a serious conversation about the state's fiscal future and energy costs.

Kreiss-Tomkins welcomed the endorsement in a statement from his campaign. He said Alaskans deserve a government that works through disagreements to make progress. He committed to collaborating with the congressional delegation, the legislature, industry, and local communities to move the state forward.

The endorsement arrives as multiple Republicans compete in the ranked-choice voting contest. Murkowski encouraged Alaskans of every political stripe to evaluate Kreiss-Tomkins and Johnson. She stated that Alaska needs leaders who put the state first, regardless of party affiliation.