With a group of supporters surrounding her, Senate candidate Kelly Tshibaka opened her campaign office at 607 W. Northern Lights Blvd. Earlier in the day, the Alaska-raised Republican filed formally with the Division of Elections, which puts her on the Aug. 16 open primary ballot. She is running against Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who is under water with Republican voters in Alaska but who has the support of the national Republican establishment, including Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Tshibaka said she first decided to enter the race after Murkowski cast the deciding vote to advance Deb Haaland’s nomination to the Department of Interior. Haaland leads President Joe Biden’s assault on Alaska’s energy industries.
“I’m running for the Senate because it’s time for a change, and I want to fight for the Alaskans who fought for me,” Tshibaka said. “I owe everything to this state. My parents came to Alaska before I was born, were homeless for a while, but then pulled themselves into the working class after my mother got an oil job. I had the opportunities I’ve had because of the Alaskans who came around to help our family when we needed it, and I know that’s the same story countless other Alaskans can tell. When I’m the next U.S. senator from Alaska, I will always remember the Alaskans who elected me and what they’ve done for me.”
Tshibaka initially launched her campaign on March 29, 2021, and she was endorsed by former President Donald J. Trump three months later.
Tshibaka says Murkowski’s overall record proves she has stopped listening to the people of Alaska.
“Everywhere I have been in Alaska over the past year, people have told me the same thing: It’s time for a change,” Tshibaka said. “Whether it’s in rural Alaska or a city, no matter a person’s race, age, or gender, no matter if they’re retired, working, unemployed, or a stay-at-home mom or dad, people all feel the same way. Lisa Murkowski has forgotten all about them because she cares more about her popularity among the Washington, D.C. elites.”
Tshibaka’s top priority is to revive the Alaskan economy by protecting the jobs provided by resource industries and to stand against those who want to block access to the state’s natural resources.
“Lisa Murkowski had her Senate seat literally handed to her by her father, so she’s never had to feel the sting of the bad decisions she’s made,” Tshibaka said. “Every time she votes with her Washington, D.C. friends against the interests of Alaskans, she harms the people of this state, but she doesn’t feel it. We, the people, pay the price for her popularity.”
Tshibaka said Murkowski has cast too many votes against the views and values of Alaskans.
“Just last week, Murkowski voted to confirm leftist Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, who thinks the rules don’t apply her, has a record of leniency on child sex offenders, and can’t differentiate between the genders,” Tshibaka said. “Lisa Murkowski also opposed constitutionalist Justice Brett Kavanaugh and joined Democrats in an attempted filibuster of Justice Amy Coney Barrett. She also voted to allow illegal immigrants to remain in the country even after they committed multiple crimes against U.S. citizens. These are not the votes a senator from Alaska should be casting, but Murkowski has made poor decisions like this over and over.”
