Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky isn’t in good standing with the District 6 Republicans on the Kenai Peninsula this week.
The political subdivision of the Alaska Republican Party voted for a resolution censuring McConnell, who is the Senate Minority leader for Republicans and who has been in the Senate since 1985.
The resolution condemns McConnell and the Senate Leadership Fund that he controls for its attack ads on Kelly Tshibaka, the candidate that the Alaska Republican Party has endorsed, and that most Republican district committees and women’s clubs in Alaska have also endorsed.
As the resolution states, on March 13, 2021, the Alaska Republican Party censured Sen. Lisa Murkowski and formally asked Alaska’s senior senator to stop running as a Republican. That censure meant the Party and its subdivisions were prohibited from aiding Murkowski in her reelection bid. In July, the party endorsed Tshibaka.
McConnell, the resolution says, is condemned by the District 6 Republican leadership committee for not honoring the actions taken by the Alaska Republican Party. Further, the resolution condemns the libelous political attack ads that McConnell’s group has produced targeting Tshibaka “that are gross distortions of fact.”
The Homer-based district is famous for commercial and sports fishing, arts, tourism, and being the home of radio personality Tom Bodett (“We’ll leave the light on for you,”), singer-songwriter Jewell, and country star Zac Brown. The move by local Alaska Republicans shows a fierce resistance building against Sen. McConnell and Washington, D.C. oligarchs interfering in Alaska elections.
One political observer from the Kenai Peninsula said, “This is the spark that will ignite the Republican districts and clubs across the state.”
Alaska Republican Party Chairwoman Ann Brown also issued a short statement regarding the McConnell-Senate Leadership Fund attack ads, without mentioning who was behind the ads:
“US Senate candidate Kelly Tshibaka announced her candidacy in March 2021. The Alaska Republican Party endorsed her and is proud to support her. She has been campaigning all over the state, meeting with and listening to voters. We know Kelly’s message of “It’s time for a change’ is resonating because recently we are seeing quite a few attack ads against her. Don’t believe those ads. To learn the truth about Kelly go to www.kellyforak.com.”
