Old one President Trump
Donald TrumpTrump announces new installment of DeSantis endorsements, Pence tied in 2024 Republican vote Lawmakers demand changes after National Guard troops on Capitol Hill fell ill from contaminated food MORE promised to travel to Alaska to campaign against Sen. Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Ann MurkowskiSenate rejects Sanders’ minimum wage increase The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Virus relief bill put to vote over Hillicon Valley weekend: YouTube will restore Trump account | Election project approved by the Chamber aims at foreign interference | Senators present legislation to create international technology partnerships MORE (R) next year, while seeking re-election.
Murkowski, who took office for the first time in 2002, is a longtime critic of the former president and the Republican Party’s leading wild card in the latest polls. She resisted her party this week, announcing that she would support Rep. Deb Haaland
Deb HaalandThe Hill Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Virus Relief Bill Submitted for Vote Over the Weekend Report 12:30 The Hill – Presented by ExxonMobil – Increased Capitol Security amid QAnon’s Murkowski vote on 4 March with the Senate panel to advance the nomination of Haaland MOREThe appointment of (DN.M.) to serve as secretary of the interior, and she was one of seven Senate Republicans to vote to condemn Trump in his impeachment trial last month.
She is the only one of seven seeking re-election in 2022.
“I’m not going to endorse, under any circumstances, the failed candidate from the great state of Alaska, Lisa Murkowski. It misrepresents your state and your country even worse. I don’t know where other people will be next year, but I know where I will be – in Alaska campaigning against a disloyal and very bad senator, “Trump said in a statement to The Hill.” Your vote to promote radical leftist Democrat Deb Haaland for Secretary of the Interior is yet another example of Murkowski not defending Alaska. “
The threat marks the latest indication that Trump plans to be heavily involved in the 2022 races across the country.
Republicans predict that Trump will present himself as a kingmaker at the GOP moving forward as he ponders his own 2024 offer. Although he has seen his approval rating drop nationally since the January 6 Capitol rebellion, his endorsement is still coveted by candidates. Republicans eager to make themselves known by a base that overwhelmingly supports the former president.
In his first endorsement since leaving office, Trump has mainly supported incumbent lawmakers who also have the support of the establishment. However, he warned incumbent lawmakers that he could also fight for his defeats if he believed they did not support him enough or his agenda – with his threat against Murkowski serving as a reminder that the post is not a protection in itself. only against a challenge from Trump.
“Where necessary and appropriate, I will support the main rivals who advocate Making America Great Again and our America First policy. We want brilliant, strong, caring and compassionate leadership, ”Trump said in a statement last month.
Fulfilling that threat, Trump last month endorsed former White House adviser Max Miller, who is challenging the Rep. Anthony GonzalezAnthony GonzalezTrump announces new installment of Republican endorsements, please save your party Head of the Republican Party campaign: It is not useful for Trump to meddle in the primaries MORE (R-Ohio), one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump for his role in inciting the deadly January 6 uprising.
Trump’s rivalry with Murkowski dates back to at least 2018. Murkowski voted against confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh
Brett Michael KavanaughJudges hear discussions about the scope of safeguards for minority voters. The Supreme Court faces a historic challenge on voting rights Will ‘Cover Up Cuomo’ march to ‘Arrest the Chief’? MOST to the Supreme Court that year and said in 2020 that Trump should not have appointed a replacement for the late judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Ruth Bader GinsburgBarrett creates the first opinion of the majority of the Supreme Court against the environmental group How to pass legislation in the Senate without eliminating the obstruction Bill presented to create the RBG monument on the Capitol MORE after Republicans in 2016 refused to accept the then President Obama’s candidate to fill a seat on the Supreme Court in an election year.
While Trump’s threat against Murkowski is the strongest sign that he plans to try to dethrone her, the Alaskan Republican is not an electoral slouch.
Murkowski in 2010 lost the Republican Party primaries to a right-wing activist, but ended up winning re-election through a written campaign, emphasizing his appeal to voters in addition to his party affiliation. And, according to Alaska’s choice-based voting system, the first four voters in an open primary will pass to the general election, meaning that it will not have the same party pressure that it had in 2010.
In addition, Murkowski is expected to gain support from party bodies. Senator Rick Scott (R-Florida), chairman of the Senate Republican National Committee, said in January that he will support Republican senators in office against opponents of Trump-backed primaries.
Republicans expressed concern that challenges to incumbent lawmakers in the Republican Trump wing of the Republic could put their chances in the middle of their term at risk. Republicans are just five seats away from gaining control of the House and one chair from winning the Senate and have sought to cover up the divisions in their first messages.
“Perhaps in more refined times, a lot of infighting and arguments would not do much harm. Honestly, I like to joke and I have no interest in trying to suppress political dialogue and intra-party debates, ”wrote Scott in a memo in February. “But now is not the time for division and here’s why: for the first time in any of our lives, socialism has become the Democratic Party’s blatant ruling policy.”
Still, the threat of a Trump challenge poses real risks for incumbent lawmakers – a reality that Murkowski acknowledged last month after his vote to condemn Trump.
“I know that my actions, my vote can have political consequences. And I understand that. I absolutely understand that, ”she said. “But I can’t be afraid of that.”
Murkowski’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill on Trump’s vote, which was first reported by Politico.