Liberal Republican U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski rushed to the defense of Sen. Joni Ernst while speaking to the group “No Labels” last week. Murkowski, who voted to convict President Donald J. Trump during his impeachment hearing in January of 2021, called Ernst “one of the more conservative, principled Republican leaders in the Senate.”
However, Murkowski lamented the fact Ernst is “being hung out to dry” for “not being good enough.” She questioned why Republicans are threatening Ernst with a primary.
“I think we’re getting a little bit of a preview now of what it’s going to be allegiant to party and I don’t think that that’s going to help us as a Republican Party, believe it or not,” she said. “I think it’s going to energize and charge up the Democrats.”
Murkowski said she hasn’t made it a secret that she considers herself a Reagan Republican rather than a Trump Republican.
“I’m not attached to a label,” Murkowski said. “I’d rather be that no label. I’d rather be that person that is just known for trying to do right by the state and the people that I serve, regardless of party. I’m totally good and comfortable with that. In fact, I think I am more comfortable with that identity than in an identity as a Republican, as a party person.”
Murkowski said the next four years will be difficult because the incoming administration has had an opportunity to see how things work, what didn’t work and has had four years to think about it.
“The approach is going to be, ‘Everybody toe the line. Everybody line up. We got you here, and if you want to survive, you better be good. Don’t get on Santa’s naughty list here, because we will primary you,'” she said. “I mean, we are seeing that play out in real-time right now with the nominees.”
Murkowski finished her thoughts on the topic by saying there was an opportunity to give Americans an “alternative” in the 2024 election.
“I think people in this country are ready for something other than the red or the blue,” she said. “That there is a path for those in the middle.”
Murkowski has an 18 percent this session for her votes according to Heritage Action. That 18 percent is just one point better than Democrat Sen. Cory Booker. It’s also one point better than Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
However, it’s three points lower than Rep. Ilhan Omar’s 21 percent. It is eight points worse than Sen. Mitt Romney’s 26 percent. It is a whopping 28 percent worse than the score of Sen. Bernie Sanders.
While Murkowski claimed that Ernst is one of the most conservative Republicans in the Senate, it should be noted that 33 Republicans in the Senate have a better score than Ernst.
The JONI PAC, which is Ernst’s leadership PAC, has made the following contributions to Murkowski’s campaign:
*Jan. 20, 2022: $5,000 (one year after Murkowski voted to convicted Trump in his impeachment trial)
*Dec. 15, 2020: $5,000
*Sept. 26, 2016: $5,000
*June 20, 2016: $5,000
