As the 2022 midterm election cycle begins with required quarterly reports, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s first quarter fundraising report to the Federal Elections Commission shows she raised $380,687 between Jan. 1 and March 31 for her reelection effort. She has $1,353,204 cash on hand.
Murkowski challenger Kelly Tshibaka, who announced her campaign March 29, three days before the end of the reporting period, raised $214,844 in three days.
Former Alaska Republican Party Chairman Randy Ruedrich is the chairman for Kelly for Alaska, Tshibaka’s campaign committee.
Noticeable in Tshibaka’s fundraising report is that the vast majority of her funds came from Alaskans. Tshibaka got more small-dollar donors in her three days than Murkowski got in three months. Murkowski had more checks from political action committees than she did from Alaskans, and five of her Senate colleagues, including Sen. Susan Collins, chipped in to help her with her reelection.
Whether Murkowski will actually run for reelection is still unknown. Earlier this week she told a scrum of D.C. reporters that she is still deciding on whether to go for a fourth term.
“I have been doing everything that a good incumbent does in terms of preserving my options, visiting with Alaskans, spending a lot of time, as much time on the ground as I can, and raising money,” she was quoted as saying.
Of the seven Republican senators who voted to convict President Donald Trump in the 2021 impeachment trial, only Murkowski is up for reelection, and she faces a state of constituents who voted 53 percent for Trump just five months ago. Trump has vowed to focus on removing her from office and many members of his former 2020 campaign team are supporting Tshibaka.
The Alaska Republican Party voted in March to censure Murkowski and find another candidate to run against her. They also asked Murkowski to not run as a Republican in the future.
Looking forward to Murkowski making the transition to private life and I fully expect her to become a NRDC board member and Joel’s sidekick at Trout Unlimited.
Don’t underestimate the power and donations she will get from native organizations, union backers and local and national democrats. The Alaska Republican Party Leadership needs to strip her of all election funding and party affiliation and do it vocally and immediately.. If not, they’re rotten as well and should be censured and dismantled along with her.
Looking forward to the new “KT” leadership. Alaska, Alaskans, and Alaska businesses want – need – deserve far better leadership than what we’ve been saddled with. The investment in “Daddy’s Little Princess” hasn’t and won’t pay dividends. It’s long past time for for a well deserved divorce proceedings.
Lisa … go your own way and enjoy your lobbying gig from AZ.
Murkowski has not represented myself or my state. It’s time for her to move on as did her father.
This is not good news – if she is still “undecided”, why is Lisa raising money? Yet it is Alaskans that need to tell Lisa it’s time to retire – not her swampy friends. The enthusiasm for Kelly should send a message, but don’t count on anyone outside Alaska hearing it. We have a major battle before us – if Lisa runs, unless something changes, I suspect she will win.
I truly think Murkowski despises Alaskans and will run again just in spite. If most of your funding comes from out of state, how can you say you are representing your state?
She doesn’t.
I wish is to see Murkowski lose and leave our state and for the Republicans to start acting like Republicans.
Frankie, please don’t tell Sarah Palin that we gave Kelly the maximum donation allowable this year. Sarah has a big mouth and it’s likely to break in the Enquirer.
I agree. And Lisa will never buy her house husband another Enquirer to read late at night while she’s busy working with the Democrats
Yes Sarah your not welcomed back to Alaska. You quit
Lisa got her job because of Daddy your not welcome here anymore either Lisa.
Vote Kelly
It’s still early in the campaign cycle. The money spigot is jus beginning to open.
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A lot of Alaskans, especially center and right, are tired of Lisa’s running with the opposition.
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The huge factor in her favor is the “dark money” jungle primary with ranked choice voting.
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Stay vigilant, my friends.
Natives don’t like her anymore.
Don Young is not far behind Murkowski, and every day it is a new wonderment on the out-of-the-ordinary Republican position Young is promoting, ie Statehood for Puerto Rico.
One must ask at what point does the State Republican Party come down on Young for his radical positions that are totally out of step with your average Alaskan?
Long over due for the man that is much older than my parents to retire.
Isn’t it about time to be discussing where and when Trump will be coming to support Kelly?
Is the $214,844 enough to cover the Tshibaka moving expense? Win or lose, she is heading back to the DC area.
Kelly could grow horns and I’d still back her over Murkowski.
Murkowski, Sullivan and Young stood by and allowed the Democrats to steal the 2020 presidential election.
They’re all traitors.
I have already donated twice to Kelly’s campaign and I will donate more. How about all the rest of you people who want to see Kelly as our new Senator? Many more thousands of dollars are needed, but money is not all Kelly needs. She will require the support of all the people who believe that Lisa is not in touch with Alaska. Jump on board the campaign because the new Ranked Choice voting system has thrown a wrench into the 2022 election.
$5k /day vs $71k /day. What does that tell us??
A fool and his money are soon parted. In this case many fools….
I dream of the day when she solely dependent on Aquanet hairspray.
“I have been doing everything that a good incumbent does?” Problem is you re not a good incumbent, you are a DC swamp rat.
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