Old President Trump
Donald Trump Trump announces new stretch of DeSantis approvals, Pence tied in 2024 Republican poll Lawmakers call for changes after Capitol National Guard troops get sick from contaminated food MORE he promised to travel to Alaska to campaign against Sen. Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Ann MurkowskiSenate Rejects Sanders Minimum Wage Rise Hills The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Virus Relief Bill Billed for Hillicon Valley Weekend Voting: YouTube to Restore Trump Account An electoral bill passed by the House aims at foreign interference Senators introduce legislation to create international technology associations MORE (R) next year while seeking re-election.
Murkowski, who took office in 2002, has long been critical of the former GOP chairman and joker in recent polls. He resigned from his party this week announcing he would support Rep. Deb Haaland
Deb Haaland The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Weekend Voting Virus Relief Bill Hill’s Report at 12:30 – Presented by ExxonMobil – Increased Security on Capitol Hill in the Middle of Date March 4 QAnon Murkowski votes with Senate court to advance Haaland nomination MOREThe nomination (DN.M.) to be Secretary of the Interior, and she was one of seven Republicans in the Senate to vote to convict Trump in his impeachment trial last month.
She is the only one of seven to seek re-election in 2022.
“I will not approve, in any case, the failed candidate for the great state of Alaska, Lisa Murkowski. It represents her bad state and her country even worse. I don’t know where other people will be next year, but I know where I will be, in Alaska, campaigning against a disloyal and very bad senator, “Trump said in a statement to The Hill. “His vote to advance radical left-wing Democrat Deb Haaland as home secretary is one more example of Murkowski not defending for Alaska.”
The threat marks the latest indication that Trump plans to fit into the 2022 races across the country.
Republicans predict that Trump will launch himself as a councilor in the Republican Party moving forward while a 2024 bid of his own is proposed. Although he has seen his rating of approval drop nationwide since the January 6 riot. on Capitol Hill, his endorsement is still coveted by Republican candidates who want to get excited about a popular base that still overwhelms the former president.
In his first endorsements since leaving office, Trump has mostly supported lawmakers in office who also enjoy the establishment’s support. However, he has assured lawmakers he could also fight for his defeats if he believes they have not given enough support to him or his agenda, with his threat against Murkowski recalling that ownership is not just protection against a Trump’s challenge.
“When necessary and timely, I will support the main rivals who advocate Making America Great Again and our America First policy. We want bright, strong, thoughtful and compassionate leadership, “Trump said in a statement last month.
Counting on that threat, Trump last month backed former White House aide Max Miller, who challenges the rep. Anthony GonzálezAnthony Gonzalez Trump announces a new stretch of Republican support, please save the head of the Republican Party’s House of Commons campaign: it’s not helpful for Trump to get involved in the primaries MORE (R-Ohio), one of ten House Republicans who voted to accuse Trump of his role in inciting the Jan. 6 deadly uprising.
Trump’s dispute with Murkowski dates back at least to 2018. Murkowski voted against the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh
Brett Michael Kavanaugh Judges hear protest over the scope of guarantees for minority voters The Supreme Court faces a major challenge on voting rights. Will “Cover-up Cuomo” go to “head jail”? MONTH to the Supreme Court that year and said in 2020 that Trump should not have appointed a replacement for the late justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Ruth Bader, author of GinsburgBarrett, first majority opinion of the Supreme Court against the environmental group. How to pass legislation in the Senate without removing the bill introduced to create an RBG monument on Capitol Hill MORE after Republicans in 2016 refused to take on then-President Obama’s candidate to fill a Supreme Court vacancy in an election year.
While Trump’s threat against Murkowski is the strongest sign he still plans to try to oust, the Alaska Republican is no electoral nuisance.
Murkowski in 2010 lost the Republican Party primaries to a right-wing activist, but eventually won re-election through a registration campaign, underscoring his call for voters beyond his party affiliation. And under the Alaska-classified voting system, the first four voters in the open primaries will run in the general election, meaning she won’t have the same partisan pressure on her as she did in 2010.
Beyond that, Murkowski is expected to gain the support of party organs. Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Chairman of the Republican National Senate Committee, said in January that he will support Republican Party senators in office against the primary challenges backed by Trump.
Republicans have expressed concern that challenges to lawmakers in functions of the Republican Party’s Trump wing could jeopardize their chances in the medium term. Republicans are just five seats away from gaining control of the House and one seat away from winning the Senate and have analyzed the divisions in their first messages.
“Perhaps in smarter times, a lot of fights and disputes wouldn’t hurt much. Honestly, I like to joke back and forth, and I have no interest in trying to stifle business policy dialogues and debates, “Scott wrote in a note in February.” But now is not the time for division and therefore: for the first time in any of our lives, socialism has become the ruling and brazen policy of the democratic party. “
Still, the threat of a Trump challenge poses real risks to active lawmakers, a reality Murkowski acknowledged last month after his vote to condemn Trump.
“I know that my actions, my vote can have political consequences. And I get it. I absolutely understand that, ”he said. “But I can’t be afraid of that.”
Murkowski’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill on Trump’s vote, which was first reported by Politico.