After Donald Trump staged the biggest comeback in American political history on Nov. 5, 2024, the Alaska delegation had a decidedly mixed reaction.
U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan was congratulatory, issuing a fullsome statement that was optimistic about Alaska and the future of the country:
“I want to congratulate President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance on their historic victory last night and I want to thank the hundreds of thousands of Alaskans who took the time to make their voices heard at the ballot box. I also want to congratulate my new and returning Senate colleagues on their hard-fought victories—returning Republicans to the majority in the U.S. Senate,” Sullivan said. “This election came down to the simple fact that millions of Americans were better off under a Trump presidency than under the last four years of the Biden-Harris administration. For Alaskans, the choice in this election was particularly stark, and in my view, it wasn’t even a close call. President Trump and his administration were an incredible partner to Alaska, listening to our concerns, taking actions to promote economic opportunity and good paying jobs, and putting Alaskans in the driver’s seat of our state’s destiny.
“Under the Biden-Harris administration, with strong help from Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Alaska sustained an unprecedented onslaught of negative, unwarranted federal actions—treatment no other state has ever experienced. With 67 executive orders and actions targeting our state, the Biden-Harris administration has sought to unravel the progress we achieved under the Trump administration by locking up our lands, killing our jobs, and harming our economy, all the while ignoring the voices of Alaskans and even defying federal law.
“As I did eight years ago, I will be working closely with President Trump, his administration, and my Senate colleagues to seize the opportunities before us, advance the interests and priorities of Alaskans, and make America stronger and more prosperous than ever before.
“This was a contentious and often heated campaign with strong, sincere feelings on both sides of the aisle. While we may disagree at times on what policies are best for our country, we should never forget that we are all Americans.”
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who considers Trump a traitor and an enemy of the nation, did not issue a statement. She has indicated in the past that she may switch her party to independent if Trump is elected.
Update: Late on Wednesday evening, Murkowski issued a statement: “I congratulate President Trump on his clear victory. Alaskans, and Americans, have chosen him to lead our nation forward for the next four years, amid many serious challenges that will take all of us to overcome. As I have with every president, I will work with President Trump whenever and wherever possible to advance Alaska’s priorities. I also look forward to working with my colleagues as Republicans re-assume the Senate majority, which will provide additional opportunities for Alaska.”
Murkowski indicated in her statement that now that the Republicans have taken control of the Senate, she will remain a Republican.
Rep. Mary Peltola, who along with Murkowski refused this year to announce who they supported for president, also did not issue a statement. Peltola is currently losing her reelection bid to the U.S. House, which will likely be controlled by Republicans during the next two years. She has been mum for about 24 hours.
Vice President Kamala Harris conceded the election on Wednesday morning, but darkly: “There is an adage: Only when it is dark enough can you see the stars. I know many people feel like we are entering a dark time.”
Steve Schmidt, the political consultant who in 2008 convinced John McCain to pick Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for his vice presidential running mate, said this: “Fascism has come to America, and as predicted, it is wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.”
we are just finishing a dark time. a cloud has been lifted
Yes Kamala, a note of truth to that adage – hence why Trump won as the darkness during your and Biden s ‘reign’ allowed people to see the dark age we had entered, and voted accordingly and loudly.
Lisa, please go and don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
Yes Lisa please leave You make Republicans look bad
Lisa won’t survive another election with ranked choice voting or another village write in campaign
We look forward to President Trump and Don Jr coming to Alaska to campaign against Murkowski.
Fun times ahead. A trump rally in AK!
Unlikely be said the other day that it was the last rally
If Senator Murkowski follows through on the idea of becoming an independent, it would seem likely that the Republican Senate Majority would terminate her seat on the Senate Appropriations Committee. Those in Alaska that rely upon and benefit from her federal “pork” should reflect good and hard about that possible situation.
Nancy and I voted our conscience and we know who the best person and best leader is for America:
Donald John Trump.
And thank you, Alaskans, for backing up Nancy and I.
Sincerely,
Frankie.
We were hoping to get one last invitation to the black-tie inaugural ball hosted by Trump and the Republican Party. Lisa has all but killed that deal for us. Such a disgraceful daughter, shoving her elderly parents off to the side, and making them beg.
Sorry Lisa isn’t going anywhere the Republican’s are the majority now, she is going to be standing with her hand out wanting chairmanship of a committee. Republican’s being the circular firing squad will reward her sorry you know what a chairmanship.
Man talk about screwing the last part up lol. Meant to say “reward her with a chairmanship.”
Two-thirds of Alaska’s congressional delegation currently down for the count…
.
Voters should be able to correct that.
Conservatives received an early Christmas Present. President Trump got the most Electoral Votes, the Popular Vote. the Senate, and likely the House. If Peltola is shown the door and Rank Choice is eliminated, the Miracle will be complete.
Here is the thing. George W. Bush was the last President to win the popular and electoral vote – as well as the trifecta of house, senate and administration.
President Bush wife is a school teacher and together they were balanced.
All our stars were aligned in America for the possibilities.
And then September 11.
We have to remember first and foremost our President- whoever it may be – is the Commander in Chief over our military.
Eggs and milk are breaking our personal banks – if my daughter did not breastfeed, she could not afford the Similac to feed my granddaughter.
This exiting administration is the grand success of the American people.
Donald Trump is a jerk.
But he is not a liar.
What is scary is if history repeats itself.
We should not be an American people that give grace only under enemies fire.
Ask George W. Bush about that.
No President wants to have to say, “If you are not with us, you are against us.”
And as Americans, we need to all be better collectively uniting in times of homeland peace – and build upon all the differences and uniqueness that we all add to the fabric of this shared history of war, love, loss, concession, resurrection and grace.
As an Inupiaq, Yupik woman – this much I know. I love people.
As an Indigenous person that is a private landholder that indigenous people around the world envy.
The land is a tool.
The quality of life of our people is the measure of how our leaders are responsibly utilizing the tools our ancestors fought for us to utilize these tools.
Leaders that are failing our people, say that their greatest responsibility is the land.
When leaders at this, they make our people their tools and stand on the backs of our own people as they watch them die and shrivel into the land.
The land is there for us to prosper.
Misguided “leaders” use our own people as fertilizer and guess what?
The people become so toxic that even their last possible usefulness as a fertilizer cannot grow good blueberries.
I am not a proponent of either party, candidate, or mainstream media propoganda.
It would be wonderful if these idiots that keep throwing out the accusation “fascist” would actually understand what that means and tell the truth – their accusations are merely convenient lies.
Chuckle, are they in their maidens garb also?
Murkowski says, “As I have with every president, I will work with President Trump whenever and wherever possible to advance Alaska’s priorities. I also look forward to working with my colleagues as Republicans re-assume the Senate majority, which will provide additional opportunities for Alaska.”
Got news for you Lisa. Apparently, after all these years, you still haven’t learned that working with a president, who belongs to your own party, to advance Alaska’s priorities, would require you to work to advance the president’s priorities as well. What is this? Your 3rd or 4th term and you still haven’t figured that out? It’s reminiscent of your slow learning curve on the state bar exam, right?
Peltola is a good person who hitched her sled to the wrong dogs. Murkowski is an anti-American political hack who was installed by her daddy to act as a leftist with an R on her lapel. The American People have spoken nationally by electing Trump, and Murkowski will forever taste her own vomit as she continues chanting her anti-Trump, anti-American tik-tok!