According to pollsters, longtime Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) is about to lose her seat to a rival from the same party.
Having served as a representative for the state of Alaska since 2002, Senator Murkowski is the second-most senior Republican female in the chamber after Susan Collins (R-ME).
Murkowski has a reputation for breaking party lines on major votes and is considered by many to be one of the most liberal Republicans in Congress. In February of 2021, she joined Democrats in voting to impeach then-President Donald Trump.
The decision, which saw her censured by the state of Alaska, is likely to cost her the upcoming election.
It’s called the “Trump Effect.”
As noted in a previous article (click here), only two of the ten House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump have any hope of remaining in Congress after the midterm elections. With four of the impeachment voters retiring and four losing races against Trump-endorsed opponents, that leaves only Reps. Dan Newhouse (WA) and David Valadao (CA) with a chance at victory.
In Murkowski’s case, she will be going head to head against Trump-backed GOP challenger Kelly C. Tshibaka.
Tshibaka, a former Commissioner for the Alaska Department of Administration, is predicted to win with 53% of the vote. Due to Alaska’s unique voting system, both Murkowski and Tshibaka will appear on the ballot alongside Democratic rival Patricia Chesbro. According to Fox News, Chesbro’s chances of winning are less than 2%.
Despite the odds, Murkoswki remains optimistic about her chances and enjoys support from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
“Our campaign has conducted polling throughout this race, and we remain very confident in our internal numbers,” said Murkowski’s campaign spokesperson, Shea Siegert. “Alaskans took a public poll in August when they voted in the primary, a primary where Lisa beat Kelly Tshibaka by 7 points.”
Sources:
Trump-backed Tshibaka projected to defeat 20-year incumbent Sen. Murkowski, election forecaster says