More than any Republican in Congress, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska can be counted on for candor about the state of her party in the era of Donald Trump. In fact, late last year, about a month after the president won a second term, the senator conceded that she felt “more comfortable” with no party label than with “an identity as a Republican.”
The comments came a few years after Murkowski also said, in the wake of the Jan. 6 attack, “If the Republican Party has become nothing more than the party of Trump, I sincerely question whether this is the party for me.”
This week, the Alaskan raised eyebrows again with comments she hasn’t made publicly before. The Anchorage Daily News reported:
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski told a room full of Alaska nonprofit leaders that the tumult of tariffs, executive orders, court battles, and cuts to federal services under the Trump administration are exceptionally concerning. “We are all afraid,” Murkowski said, taking a long pause. “It’s quite a statement. But we are in a time and a place where I certainly have not been here before. And I’ll tell ya, I’m oftentimes very anxious myself about using my voice, because retaliation is real. And that’s not right.”
A video of the clip reinforced the impression that the senator chose her words with care.
At the same event, Murkowski described some of the Trump administration’s recent moves as “unlawful” and “against the law.” She similarly expressed concern about the degree to which USAID had “just been obliterated,” described proposed GOP cuts to Medicaid as “devastating” and efforts to politicize the federal judiciary have brought the country to “a very dangerous place.”
Just as notably, the four-term Republican lawmaker acknowledged that Congress has allowed the executive branch to claim too much power. “It’s called the checks and balances. And right, now we are not balancing as the Congress,” Murkowski said.
In recent days, as coverage of the senator’s comments circulated, the broader conversation about her perspective has generally fallen into two camps. One was sympathetic: Many observers have noted that it’s exceedingly rare for any congressional Republican to make comments like these, out loud and in public, and that Murkowski is to be applauded for acknowledging the fears of retaliation that members feel.
The alternative reaction to her comments has been far less charitable: Murkowski is in a position of influence, and she could be using her power far more effectively to push back against the White House, its abuses, its corruption and its authoritarian tactics. There’s nothing wrong with applauding her comments, the argument goes, but it’s just as important to press the Alaskan on her support for Trump-backed bills and some of the White House’s highly unqualified nominees.
Indeed, let’s not forget that when the Republican Party’s far-right budget plan came to the Senate floor a couple of weeks ago, two GOP senator joined Democrats in voting against it — and Murkowski wasn’t one of the two. Which reaction is the right one? I don’t want this to sound like a cop-out, but I think both are right. I’m glad Murkowski occasionally speaks out like this, and if it inspires some of her GOP colleagues to do the same, it could make a difference. I also believe that if Murkowski recognizes the seriousness of our current circumstances, it’s incumbent on her to do more than just offer candid comments to her constituents. As the senator no doubt knows, she has other options — legislatively, procedurally, tactically, etc. — and if she really wants to shake things up, Murkowski can announce that she’s ending her formal affiliation with the GOP altogether, even if she continues to caucus with the party. It’s genuinely awful that she’s afraid and feeling “very anxious,” and I couldn’t agree more that the circumstances that have led to these fears are “not right.” But it’s within the Alaskan’s power to help force a change, and I’ll continue to hope that she takes advantage of these opportunities.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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