Sen. Lisa Murkowski, one of the most middle-of-the-road senators in Washington, has endorsed Nikki Haley for president. She made the announced Friday in a statement.
“I’m proud to endorse Gov. Nikki Haley,” Murkowski said in her statement. “America needs someone with the right values, vigor, and judgment to serve as our next President—and in this race, there is no one better than her. Nikki will be a strong leader and uphold the ideals of the Republican Party while serving as a President for all Americans.”
Murkowski was one of seven Republicans who voted in favor of impeachment of Trump, after he was no longer president. Trump was not convicted for the allegations against him, made by Democrats in the House, led by then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Adam Schiff, both of California. She said Trump has poisoned the country.
Unlike Murkowski, Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan has endorsed Donald Trump, while Rep. Mary Peltola has endorsed President Joe Biden.
Haley wrote a statement thanking Murkowski: “Sen. Murkowski represents the best of Alaska … she is a trailblazer and a strong, independent voice who doesn’t bow down to the powers that be in Washington.”
Murkowski has been out of favor with the Alaska Republican Party for years. Her last dust-up with the party was when the party censured her in 2021 for voting to convict Trump. In 2022, she won reelection with the help of Democrats using the open primary system her surrogates worked to have passed in 2020 (with ranked choice voting), which helped her avoid a Republican primary.
Alaskan Republicans will be voting in the GOP Presidential Preference Poll on Tuesday, at locations across the state.
A poll run in the Must Read Alaska newsletter shows that 73% of readers think Haley should drop out now. She has not won any state in the primary and caucuses so far this year. Another 6% of participants said she should drop out after Super Tuesday, and 21% think she should not drop out. The poll was self-selecting and 330 readers of 34,000 subscribers took part.
Trump is still surging in national polls, in spite of his legal troubles and social media habits. Of the 1,215 delegates needed to become the GOP nominee, Trump has 122 delegates, or 10% and Haley has 24 delegates, or about 2%. Another 874 delegates will be decided by March 5. The Alaska Republican Party will have 29 delegates.
Before Super Tuesday, the Idaho Republican Presidential Preference Caucus and the Michigan Republican State Convention take place on Saturday, March 2, and on Monday, March 4, the North Dakota Republican Presidential Preference Caucus is scheduled.
Then on Tuesday, March 5, in addition to Alaska, the Alabama Republican Primary, Arkansas Republican Primary, California Republican Primary, Colorado Republican Primary, Massachusetts Republican Primary, Maine Republican Primary, Minnesota Republican Primary, North Carolina Republican Primary, Oklahoma Republican Primary, Tennessee Republican Primary, Texas Republican Primary, Utah Republican Precinct Caucuses, Virginia Republican Primary, and Vermont Republican Primary will be held, and it will largely end the primary contest between Haley and Trump.
