Murkowski could be re-elected in 2022 and is one of the few true moderates remaining in the Senate, along with Susan Collins (R-Maine), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) And Joe Manchin (DW.Va.). She had previously stated that if the Republican Party remains Trump’s party, she does not necessarily know how it fits. She also asked Trump to step down.
She said that after losing her 2010 primaries to a conservative arsonist, she talked to the Libertarian Party about running for her ticket. But her response was: “Thank you, but no, thank you. I don’t use a flag of convenience. ”She won the general election with an impressive written campaign.
“Now, some of the Republicans will say, you are not really one of us. Let’s define: What is the Republican Party today? Now there is an interview for you. But really, where are we, the Republican Party? Who really exemplifies the heart of the party now? ”She said on Friday. “In many ways, we are a party that is really struggling to identify itself.”
Murkowski said many people in his state did not like Trump’s style, but supported his policies, particularly related to his support for energy exploration. Alaska has long been mired in an economic slowdown, and Murkowski said Biden’s suspension of energy exploration licenses gives her “a lot of heartburn”.
In 2001, Vermont Sen. Jim Jeffords moved from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party after several months of a tied Senate, giving Democrats a majority. It seems that this change is not happening this time.
“As disconnected as things may be on the Republican side, there is no way you can convince me to go the other way, this is not me,” said Murkowski.
His comments mean the Senate is likely to remain tied at 50-50 for two years, pending some retirement or unpredictable event. Collins has also repeatedly ruled out the exchange of caucuses and has just been re-elected for another six-year term as a Republican.
Still, it is clear that Murkowski has strong reservations about the direction of the Republican Party with Trump expected to captivate a significant portion of the Republican Party in the coming years. She said she did not vote for Trump because she wanted to “vote affirmatively for someone. I don’t want to vote for someone I don’t feel confident, strong and good with. I don’t want to accept the lesser of the two evils ”.