Sen. Lisa Murkowski is one of the few remaining Senate Republicans who remains a consistent never-Trump Republican. Most others have either left politics or been defeated.
Murkowski has never been afraid to go against Trump on contentious issues, voting against the confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, against Obamacare repeal, and for conviction in Trump’s second impeachment. However, she voted against convicting in his first.
In comments made back in April, Murkowski stated, “I’m oftentimes very anxious myself about using my voice, because retaliation is real,” and added that she thinks many of her fellow Republicans are afraid to cross the president.
Murkowski is a lifelong Republican from a red state and comes from a Republican family; her father was both the governor of Alaska and a senator, and it doesn’t appear that she has ever seriously entertained the notion of leaving her party. In 2010, during the Tea Party era, Murkowski was defeated in a Republican primary by a more conservative candidate but was re-elected as a write-in candidate and has been re-elected twice since.
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However, she seems to hint, in an interview Monday, that she might consider becoming an independent.
BREAKING: In a stunning moment, Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said it’s possible she will switch parties and become a Democrat. This is huge. pic.twitter.com/PTXIaJCBcT
— Democratic Wins Media (@DemocraticWins) June 23, 2025
In an interview with Galen Druke, the senator stated that “there may be that possibility” of going independent and caucusing with the Democrats, as part of some “coalition” arrangement.
However, she stopped well short of stating that any sort of move is imminent or even likely.
Druke asked her about a very specific scenario, under which the Democrats pick up seats in the Senate, were on the verge of Senate control, and approached Murkowski and told her, “We’re gonna let you pass bills that benefit Alaskans if you caucus with us.”
Murkowski did, however, back off a bit later in the interview.
“My problem with your hypothetical is that, as challenged as I think we may be on the Republican side, I don’t see the Democrats being much better,” Murkowski said in the interview. “And they’ve got not only their share of problems, but quite honestly, they’ve got some policies that I just inherently disagree with.” She also shared a story about having once been offered the chance to run as part of the Libertarian Party, but turned it down.
Photo courtesy of the Political Tribune media library.
