Republican Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski has won reelection to the U.S. Senate, defeating Republican Kelly Tshibaka.
The Associated Press called the race Wednesday night. With 100% of the votes in, Murkowski defeated Tshibaka 53.7% to 46.3%. Murkowski received 135,972 votes compared to Tshibaka’s 117,299.
“I am honored that Alaskans — of all regions, backgrounds and party affiliations — have once again granted me their confidence to continue working with them and on their behalf in the U.S. Senate,” Murkowski tweeted Wednesday night. “I look forward to continuing the important work ahead of us.”
Before working in the Alaska state government, Tshibaka worked in the inspector general offices of several federal agencies.
“It’s clear from the ranked choice tabulations that Sen. Lisa Murkowski has been re-elected, and I congratulate her on that,” Tshibaka said in a statement. “The new election system has been frustrating to many Alaskans, because it was indisputably designed as an incumbent-protection program, and it clearly worked as intended.”
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kelly Tshibaka joins other Alaskan Republicans at a Get Out The Vote event hosted by the Alaska Republican Party on November 06, 2022 in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Tshibaka had the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. In Trump’s statement endorsing Tshibaka, the former president slammed Murkowski and said Tshibaka could beat her, giving her his full endorsement. (RELATED: Trump Endorses Mike Dunleavy For Governor Of Alaska But Says It Will Be ‘Null’ If Dunleavy Endorses Murkowski)
“Lisa Murkowski is bad for Alaska. Her vote to confirm Biden’s Interior Secretary was a vote to kill long sought for, and approved, ANWR, and Alaska jobs. Murkowski has got to go! Kelly Tshibaka is the candidate who can beat Murkowski — and she will. Kelly is a fighter who stands for Alaska values and America First,” Trump said in his statement. (RELATED: Trump Endorses Lisa Murkowski’s GOP Challenger Kelly Tshibaka For 2022)
“She is MAGA all the way, pro-energy, strong on the Border, tough on Crime and totally supports our Military and our great Vets. Kelly is a powerful supporter of the Second Amendment and JOBS! I look forward to campaigning in Alaska for Kelly Tshibaka. She has my Complete and Total Endorsement!” Trump added.
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.