Republican Senator Crosses Party Lines

woman speaking at a podium with microphones — Photo: lev radin / Shutterstock

A sitting Republican senator just told Alaska voters to pick the Democrat for governor, and she did it three days before the vote.

Quick Take

Senator Lisa Murkowski endorsed Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins for Alaska governor on October 27, 2026.
Murkowski called Kreiss-Tomkins “a young Alaskan with a view and a perspective that Alaska needs right now.”
Her father, former Republican Senator Frank Murkowski, also backed Kreiss-Tomkins, along with two other former governors.
The endorsement comes just days before Alaska’s November 3 general election, in a race against three Republican candidates.

Senator Breaks With Her Party Days Before the Vote

Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski announced her support for Democratic candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins in an interview with Alaska’s News Source reporter Rebecca Palsha on October 27, 2026. “I am announcing my endorsement of Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins,” Murkowski said. She described him as “a young Alaskan with a view and a perspective that I think Alaska needs right now.”

The timing stands out. Alaska voters head to the polls on November 3, just days after Murkowski’s announcement. Kreiss-Tomkins, a former state lawmaker from Sitka, is running against three Republican candidates for the state’s top office. A written release from his campaign quoted Murkowski saying, “Our future is too important to be hamstrung by partisan divisions.”

Family and Former Governors Join the Crossover Support

Murkowski was not alone. Her father, former Republican Senator Frank Murkowski, also endorsed Kreiss-Tomkins on the same day. Three former Alaska governors joined them: Democrat Tony Knowles, Republican Frank Murkowski, and independent Bill Walker. Together, they wrote that they had “the privilege” of leading the state and believed Kreiss-Tomkins was the right choice this time.

The list of endorsers crossing party lines against three sitting Republican candidates sends a clear signal. It shows that at least some longtime GOP figures in Alaska see this race less about party labels and more about who they think can lead. For voters frustrated with rigid party politics, that message may carry weight regardless of which side they usually support.

Not Murkowski’s First Break From the Party Line

This is not new territory for Murkowski. She endorsed Democrat Mary Peltola in 2024 during Peltola’s reelection bid for the U.S. House. That same year, Murkowski also backed Republican Senator Dan Sullivan in his own reelection race, even as he faced a challenge from Peltola. Her record shows a pattern of judging candidates one at a time rather than following strict party rules.

Alaska’s political culture helps explain why this kind of crossover happens more there than in many other states. The state uses a candidate-centered election system, and voters there have long shown a willingness to split their support across party lines. Murkowski’s endorsement fits a broader pattern already visible in her past choices, rather than marking a sudden ideological shift.

Research Shows Endorsements Can Help or Backfire

Whether this endorsement moves votes is far from certain. One large study tracking 85,191 survey respondents across ten experiments found that political endorsements can sway voters who already trust the endorser, but can also create backlash among those who do not. Other research on leader and party cues found that endorsements crossing party lines don’t automatically win over new support and sometimes produce a net negative effect for the endorsed candidate.

That mixed research record matters here. Some Alaska Republicans may see Murkowski’s move as a betrayal that pushes them further from her. Others, including independent and moderate voters, may view it as a credible signal worth following. Either way, the endorsement adds a notable twist to a governor’s race already crowded with three Republican contenders just days before Alaska voters cast their final ballots.