The Washington Post reports that former President Donald Trump has been considering forming a third party, called the Patriot Party. He is also working on challenging lawmakers who opposed him during his final time in office, including Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Alaska’s Republican senior senator.
Others in the crosshairs are Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R), and Rep. Tom Rice (R-S.C.), according to the Washington Post.
By launching a campaign against several sitting Republicans, Trump may force the hands of those who are likely to vote to convict him during the Senate impeachment trials, a list that may include Murkowski. These lawmakers may have to recuse themselves due to the Senate Ethics Code, either in fact or by perception.
“Multiple people in Trump’s orbit, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations, say Trump has told people that the third-party threat gives him leverage to prevent Republican senators from voting to convict him during the Senate impeachment trial. Trump advisers also say they plan to recruit opposing primary candidates and commission polling next week in districts of targeted lawmakers. Trump has more than $70 million in campaign cash banked to fund his political efforts, these people say,” the Post reported.
One factor the Trump camp may not have fully grasped is that, although Murkowski is up for reelection in 2022, Alaska Republicans are no longer allowed to have a closed primary, under the new conditions set by Ballot Measure 2, which passed in November. The open primary system, along with ranked choice voting, makes Murkowski stronger than a candidate to her political right might be in Alaska.
On Friday, The Hill reported that Murkowski admitted she did not vote for Trump in 2020, but rather wrote in a name of someone else. But she also said she would remain in the Republican caucus, and not caucus with Senate Democrats, who are now in power.
Murkowski is on record previously saying, “if the Republican Party continues to be the party of Trump, I’m not quite sure where I fit.” She has not ruled out becoming an undeclared (independent) registrant.
“I would like us to be that party that is inclusive of young people and minorities and LGBTQ and all people everywhere regardless of demographic or background,” she said. “I think the Republican Party has so much to offer if we can just get away from the personalities that have shaped it into a more narrowly defined view,” she told The Hill.
Great smoking honkers Please git rid of this split tongue serpent, she will never ever have my vote.
Her goose is not one I would grace my smoker with, let alone eat it. I hope she just retires – Lisa will be really hard to beat with ranked-choice primaries. She brings home the bacon, but her grandstanding drives me nuts.
Ranked Choice Voting is a clear violation of our Constitutional Rights. Remember those? It literally forces people to cast votes for candidates that they do not agree with and hold stances that are contrary to our own belief and self interest. I don’t have a lot of money to throw at a Lawsuit to fight Ranked Choice Voting, but I would be willing to join a Class action suit if we can find an attorney to represent us.
Ranked-choice voting in no way “forces people to vote for candidates they don’t agree with.” There is no violation of constitutional rights, and a number of legal rulings have confirmed RCV’s constitutionality. You would be throwing your money down a rathole trying to file another lawsuit.
If I choose to vote for my candidate and not cast a vote for the other candidates, my vote will not be counted. The act of Ranking is casting votes for each and every candidate on the ballot! I understand how it works and I don’t want to be forced to cast votes for candidates that do not reflect my values. I also do not want mail in voting or Dominion Software gerrymandering my elections.
Absolutely! I agree with you 100%, particularly about being forced to cast 2d, 3d or 4th choice votes for candidates I want to give NO support. Ditto on joining in to support a class action lawsuit to uphold one person, one vote.
Can I put all 4 of my votes towards on candidate? Then I’m all for it.
Your 1st-choice vote counts the same regardless of whether you vote for subsequent choices. RCV’s constitutionality has been upheld repeatedly. But if you’re determined to throw your money away on a lawsuit, there is probably a lawyer somewhere willing to help you part with it.
It appears you do not understand how it works, Philip. Where’d the screeching about constitutionality go? Run and find it.
Do you have a right to force or direct my personal vote? No… you do not! Nor does anyone else, yet that is exactly what Ranked Choice Voting does.
If our legislature isn’t going to fix the problem, then the way to get around the ranked choice voting is to fill in every choice with your first choice, i.e. John Smith is my first choice and I’m going to also make him my 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc.. As far as I know there is no law saying that you have to put a different name under each slot
Your first-choice vote counts just as much, regardless of whether you vote for subsequent choices. RCV’s constitutionality has been upheld repeatedly. But if you’re hell bent on throwing your money away on a lawsuit, there’s probably a lawyer somewhere willing to help you part with it.
The candidate with the most number 1 rankings does not necessarily win the election, so in effect RCV forces me to contribute the the win of the person ranked second. That is not fair. Do not force people to vote for candidates that are against their will. RCV is also highly susceptible to organized gerrymandering, only a blind fool or an organized crime syndicate would intentionally institute such a voting system. Which one are you?
I’m someone who appreciates the good sense of Alaska’s voters who approved Proposition 2.
You keep driving around that circle Lee. It’s understood that’s your opinion.
I’m with you Philip, if you can find an honest lawyer that will properly represent the people of Alaska and not just his bank account, I would gladly pitch in on fees!
And break the knees of our republic with her perverse desire to further the cultural revolution. Sending this nation in a blender to prepare it for communism
Murkowski is about as dumb as a box of rocks. President Trump brought more people into the Republican Caucasus over 4 years than she has done her entire political history. If anything she has fractured the party because of her stupid beliefs. We will send her packing in 2022 she his a hack.
Maybe Murky will not be in office until 22
“I think the Republican Party has so much to offer if we can just get away from the personalities that have shaped it into a more narrowly defined view”. Well, Lisa, it is my opinion that the only ones that have done what you say is the Left. They have ramrodded down America’s throats, that if you do not believe exactly the same as them, you are a racist. Simply by being an R, you are now categorized as being anti-LGBTQ, anti-immigrant, anti-[insert any race but white here]…and on, and on, and on. If you are African American and an R, well then you must be an uncle Tom. The Left lives their lives on being perpetual victims – always offended no matter what it is that isn’t exactly the way they think. And, they have their bullhorns – the mainstream media – slam it down the world’s throats non-stop. So, is Donald Trump rude? Crass? Narcissistic? Yes, I think he is all of those things and always has been. It’s the Left that has crammed and shaped one man’s personality into an entire party to destroy it.
The republican party is a club for the upper elite politicians, if you don’t fall into line with the club your black balled. Both parties are so broken that they are not fixable. Every politician would have to be removed to get the swamp rat mentality stopped and the party cleaned up. I think this is impossible so I will join a party for the people by the people. The GOP is dead to me.
Amen.
Sign me up for the patriot party! I just changed my voter registration from Republican to undeclared. I’m done with them!
Smart woman. We did that years ago when Murkowski’s daddy appointed her to take his place. The republican party is quickly becoming a party that I want nothing to do with and I would gladly support a Patriot Party. Our Senators have been a huge disappointment the last several months and I wish I had never voted for any of them. We voted for them because we thought they held the same values as us. We later find out that Murkowski is nothing but a wolf in sheep’s clothing who would rather throw her support behind a democrat than her President and political party. Don’t get me started on Sullivan. I respected him and voted for him in this last election, but his latest stunt of not supporting an investigation into voter fraud, his lack of support for President Trump through all this impeachment nonsense, and his non-committal to stand up and say he will not back an impeachment has soured me on him and he will be another one that needs to go. And by the way, I don’t believe you can legally impeach someone who is a private citizen and no longer the President of the United States. The law is the law, and that law doesn’t extend to private citizens. If they think it does, then please, let’s get right on impeaching Clinton and Obama.
I’ve never voted for this loser Lisa
I vote right for, God fearing, loving kind people.
Vote her OUT
I think it would be a hoot if President Trump established residency in Alaska (other politicians do without spending much time in Alaska), became Senator and a thorn in the side of the swamp for a couple of years before running for President again………….
Her actions have broken the state finances. Better wear a mask on all federal lands. The dictator has decreed it. The March down Pennsylvania Ave looked like N Korea. That is she represents. Noticed she doesn’t say all people.
John Sturgeon for US Senate in 2022.
The GOP, particularly in Alaska, has an identity issue right now – and if we fall for the GOPe, we will fall, period. Splitting the base for the Patriot Party that is not yet will be a disaster. So will hanging Trump. Trumpism works – keep it.
Murkowski’s job seems safe for now.
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Alaska’s elections may be almost irrelevant, a pro forma exercise in futility.
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Why?
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Alaska’s ranked-choice voting was installed to allow candidates with marginal voter support to win, eliminate choices between top-tier candidates, and disenfranchise voters by tossing ballots lacking the required number of choices, in order to manufacture a false majority for the “winner”.
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Then we learn Alaskan votes are “tabulated” by Canadian-owned Dominion voting machinery running on — internet-connected, company-maintained, proprietary hardware and software– like that at the center of election fraud allegations in the Lower 48.
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The legislator half of Alaska’s lobbyist-legislator team can fix these problems.
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They’re empowered to nullify ranked choice voting and ditch Dominion vote-counting equipment.
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They’re apparently doing neither because they are, and will be, too busy with Job #1 Getting Money.
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This is understandable. Ranked choice voting and Dominion voting machinery virtually assure the outcome of legislators’ Job #2 Getting Re-elected.
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Bottom line is Alaskan voters may be unable to fix these two problems without Outside help.
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After all, these problems were created -with- Outside help, lots of it.
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Mr. Trump will undoubtedly find many productive Alaskans grateful for his help and eager to assist.
She is not representing the Alaskan people, we need to fire her now. Is there a process to remove a sitting senator?
So long as Lisa remains a steadfast supporter of the 2nd Amendment I cannot think of anyone I would support against her. I voted for Trump but can understand why any woman couldn’t bring herself to do so. I would be quite surprised if anyone could beat Lisa in 2022, but that is not why I support her.
Ha, ha, ha, she’s sure fooled you, Damn!
I have to be optimistic Sen. Murkowski will skate thru another six years after winning 2022 because of her friends and her political intuition. Unless oridinary Alaskans find God and get tired living under someones thumb relying on anothers good will for their survival, which that sought after freedom by oridinary Alaskans will be a miracle of God. Hahaha
She needs to go. As a NP who usually votes red, never again, no money no votes for them.
Who’d primary her?
Sen Lisa will win in 2022 because of prop 2
So she’s going to upgrade to an independent from a socialist. Of course President Trump will go after her.
Trump has already promised to campaign against Murkowski in 2022. What if he establishes Alaska residency and runs against her. Ranked Choice Voting won’t save her from that scenario.
Too cold and the golf sucks. Maybe he will endorse Mike Shower or Joe Miller will come out of retirement. If Miller had run in the Trump era I think he would have won. I don’t want to trade her out for a traditional GOP spoon fed establishment type though- whoever it is needs to be Trumpian in ideology.
“I would like us to be that party that is inclusive of young people and minorities and LGBTQ and all people everywhere regardless of demographic or background”. I just keep wondering if I would have felt more “comfortable” in the girls locker room in Junior/Senior High School.
Yes I’m a big Trump supporter
I’ll do Anything Mr trump Please help us get RID of Lisa.
Vote vote vote
Lisa fails to realize she will never be loved by the Democrats. She tries to be one but she is not one of them. They accept her for now because of her left leaning stance and she gets favorable comments from MSM. The Democrats will field their own candidate and they will shut her out, she’ll be disliked by both sides with no where to go.
How sad, a woman without a country.
I want to see more Alaskans recognizing the Building characteristics about Trump’s life interest to start building up this state again as those did when miners were building the railroad on the Seward Peninsula and Cook Inlet from the 1890s-1915 building the new wealth of the territory. Alaska doesn’t have enough people like Trump who are builders by nature and put their country ahead of growing their own wealth even though by their building projects they still will reap the harvest.
Even while Alaska had builders, these builders put more themselves first increasing their wealth before leaving for more warmer luxury properties.
Mike Shower doesn’t have the intellectual capacity or dynamic personality to be a good US Senator for Alaska. Presently I can only think of one that has a back ground in Politics, Government, Military, and most importantly private sector relations. He also has a level of name recognition both in Alaska and at the National level. He is also articulate and clear on his stances. Let me be clear, I have no idea on his thoughts about this, but sometimes the good ones step up when asked. My recommendation(for what it’s worth) is Craig Campbell.
I heard former Anchorage Assembly Member Paul Bauer has all 4 and prefers to ride along with Craig as Lt Gov. True conservative, determined to work on fixing the Alaska Election process.
Rex Good GOD. Mike is a decorated fighter pilot as well as a heavy cargo jet captain. He was an officer in the airforce.
WE are suposed to be a citizen run government not a career scumbag who do I owe this week politician..
Any citizen with the Country at heart and integrity ill vote for. To hell with the High iq.
Dear Doug, I am not diminishing this man’s military service for I am a 20yr (decorated) Air Force Vet myself. I worked for the Group Commander He served under and know he was well thought of. I also served Alaska for 17 yrs. in the legislature in a policy position.
I agree with you about not electing individuals who will bring us the “same old” “same old.” I didn’t say anything about “IQ.” I stated “Intellectual Capacity” which might be better defined as an ability to think, learn, plan, and execute with discipline. How effective you are at that may well prove you better suited than another in executing a particular job.
What I do not believe wise, is to elect someone just because they performed Service to our country in the Military. Hell, look at a couple of the (not so bright) high level military commanders who have recently expressed completely alien thoughts about our system of Governance and Individual rights. If it is important to you, you might want to look up Mr. Campbell’s record in the military.
This is only my opinion, but we can do a better job of electing those who represent us. We have met before and I know you’re an honorable person and I want to thank you for the civil discourse even though we may disagree.
Make sure who ever it is they are not a lawyer or married to one.
I pray to God he does! She must be primary-ed out. She doesn’t serve Alaskans. She’s a traitor who only serves herself.
It is time to get Lisa out of Republican Party. She is a disgrace to the party and it is better to have Sarah Palin be the next senator from Alaska 2022. Republican Party can only survive with Trump
I can’t believe Lisa didn’t follow through on her obligation to see justice and hold strong to c a person like Trump face consequences but then isn’t it like her n Ivanka to share the same ideals, daddy can I have seconds please
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