Lisa Murkowski

GOP Senator Lisa Murkowski endorses Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins for Alaska Governor

A Republican senator backing a Democrat for governor has added an unexpected twist to Alaska’s 2026 election, with Lisa Murkowski and her father, former Republican Senator Frank Murkowski, throwing their support behind Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins. The Democratic candidate is competing against three Republicans — Dave Bronson, Treg Taylor and Bernadette Wilson — to succeed Republican Governor Mike Dunleavy, who cannot seek another term because of term limits.

Kreiss-Tomkins, known as JKT, has a significant lead in polling, partly because the Republican vote is divided among three contenders. The endorsements from the Murkowskis add to the cross-party backing for his campaign.

Lisa Murkowski announced her decision in an interview with KTUU-TV on Tuesday, saying Alaska needs the perspective Kreiss-Tomkins could bring to the governor’s office.

“JKT is a young Alaskan with a view and a perspective that I think Alaska needs right now,” she told reporter Rebecca Palsha.

Murkowski, who has a reputation for bipartisanship in the US Senate, has also endorsed Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan for re-election.

Frank Murkowski, who served in the US Senate before winning the Alaska governorship in 2002, joined former Democratic Governor Tony Knowles and former independent Governor Bill Walker in endorsing Kreiss-Tomkins. Frank Murkowski had appointed his daughter to his Senate seat after becoming governor.

The three men announced their support in an opinion article published by the Anchorage Daily News on Tuesday, stressing that their political differences had not diminished their shared commitment to the state.

“We come from different political backgrounds, have different perspectives and have not always agreed on issues facing our state,” they wrote. “But we share a deep commitment to Alaska and its future. That is why we are coming together to support Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins for governor.”

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has endorsed Republican candidate Bernadette Wilson. He announced his support at a rally in Wasilla on October 13.

Dunleavy did not endorse one Republican over the others at the rally. Instead, he urged voters to rank all three GOP candidates, arguing that supporting the full Republican field was essential to winning under ranked-choice voting.

Former Republican governors Sarah Palin and Sean Parnell have not endorsed any candidate in the race.

Naman is a copy editor at Times Now, with over three years experience in covering US News, politics, global affairs, sports, and other domains. Apart ... View More