Murkowski endorses Democratic gubernatorial rival in Alaska
Former governors in Kansas and Texas have also backed Democratic opponents, though experts warn such crossovers rarely decide tight races.
By Natalie Cooper ·
Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski endorsed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins on Tuesday in Alaska.
The endorsement marks a rare instance of a sitting senator backing a challenger from the opposing party in a high-profile state race. Kreiss-Tomkins is competing for the governor's seat in a state where party lines have historically held firm.
This move follows a pattern established in recent weeks across the country. In Kansas, former Republican governors Bill Graves and Mike Hayden announced support for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Adam Hamilton in September and October, respectively. In Texas, the campaign for Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico reported that more than two dozen former GOP officials have joined his endorsement list.
Kel Seliger, a former GOP state senator, added his name to Talarico's roster this week. Seliger chose to back Talarico rather than the Republican nominee, Attorney General Ken Paxton. Seliger explained his decision by noting he had served with both men. He described Talarico as honest and frank, asserting that Talarico's actions would benefit Texas rather than serving the interests of Elon Musk.
Republican Party officials anticipate similar cross-party voting for their candidates in other contests. Natalie Baldassarre, national press secretary for the Republican National Committee, pointed to the race in Michigan where Mike Rogers faces Abdul El-Sayed. She also cited the coalition known as Democrats for Mike Rogers as evidence of this trend.
Joshua Blank, research director for the Texas Politics Project, cautioned that the impact of these endorsements may be limited. Blank noted that cross-party voting usually involves a small share of the electorate rather than large blocs of voters switching sides. He stated that these idiosyncratic behaviors could matter if elections are close.
Recent polling indicates that several midterm races have tightened, with some now statistically tied. Candidates continue to publicize their bipartisan support in the final stretch before November.
Source: KVLY-TV
