Politics

Sen. Lisa Murkowski Has First GOP Challenger For 2022

Screenshot/YouTube/Kelly Tshibaka

Henry Rodgers Chief National Correspondent
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Republican Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski had her first Republican challenger announce she will be taking her on in 2022 Monday.

Alaska’s Commissioner of Administration Kelly Tshibaka announced Monday morning that she will run against Murkowski, making her the first Republican to throw her hat in the ring against the incumbent.

“I’M IN! I am running for the Senate to represent our conservative Alaska values. We’re going to defeat Lisa Murkowski and show the DC insiders what happens when Alaska has strong conservative leadership!” Tshibaka tweeted.

Before working in the Alaska state government, Tshibaka worked in the inspector general offices of several federal agencies, the Hill reported.

In early January, Murkowski became the first Senate Republican to call on then-President Donald Trump to resign after the Capitol riot. Murkowski then voted to convict Trump in his Senate impeachment trial. (RELATED: Sen. John Barrasso Breaks With Trump, Endorses Sen. Lisa Murkowski And Rep. Liz Cheney For Reelection)

Trump promised to visit Alaska to personally campaign against Murkowski, saying, “I will not be endorsing, under any circumstances, the failed candidate from the great State of Alaska, Lisa Murkowski,” in a March statement to Politico. “She represents her state badly and her country even worse. I do not 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.” (RELATED: Trump Promises To Go To Alaska To Campaign Against ‘Disloyal’ Sen. Murkowski)

National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Rick Scott has said the committee will be supporting Republican incumbents, despite Trump’s differences.