Lisa Murkowski.Photo: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images
Alaska’sLisa Murkowskiwants to keep her seat in the U.S. Senate — and she’s ready to fight for it.
The Republican, who’s served as a senator since 2002,announced her reelection campaignon Friday with an ad that paints her as a respected and independent politician with a long list of accomplishments.
“I’m Lisa Murkowski and I love Alaska with all my heart. I’m proud to call this special place my home and honored to be your voice in the United States Senate,” Murkowski, 64, says in the ad. “I’m running for reelection to continue the important work of growing our economy, strengthening our Alaska-based military and protecting our people and the natural beauty of our state.”
“Lisa Murkowski is bad for Alaska,” Trumpsaid in his endorsement. “Kelly is a fighter who stands for Alaska values and America First. She is MAGA all the way.”
Tshibaka, whodescribes herselfas “conservative, pro-life, pro-Second Amendment and American First,” has repeatedly tried to connect Joe Biden and the Democrats' agenda to Murkowski, who voted for thepresident’s infrastructure billand also toconvict Trump on impeachment chargesfollowing theattack on the U.S. Capitolin January.
Murkowski, however, has already offered a glimpse at a line of attack her challenger will face.
Kelly Tshibaka.Mark Thiessen/AP/Shutterstock
“She’s got a problem with her fishing license and residency problem,” Murkowskisaid in an October CNN interview, alluding to Alaskan Wildlife Troopers' investigation into whether Tshibaka obtained a resident sportfishing license in 2019, only eight months after moving back to the state.
To qualify for a resident license in Alaska, those applying must have lived in the state for12 consecutive monthsimmediately preceding their application.According to theAnchorage Daily News, Tshibaka — who was born in Anchorage but left Alaska at age 15 until January 2019 — said she’d lived in in the state for 15 years and 8 months on her application.
Prosecutors declined to charge Tshibaka but she wascited and fined $270for commercial fishing without a crew license in a separate incident after she appeared in a campaign ad using commercial gear.
“I don’t know her,” Murkowski told CNN. “She just came back to the state a couple years ago.”
In Murkowski’s new campaign video, she went even further without naming Tshibaka.
“In this election, lower 48 outsiders are going to try and grab Alaska’s Senate seat for their partisan agendas. They don’t understand our state and frankly they couldn’t care less about your future,” she said.
“My commitment to Alaska is the same one I made during my first campaign,” Murkowski continued. “I will work with anyone from either party to advance Alaska’s priorities. And I will always stand up to any politician or special interest that threatens our way of life.”
source: people.com
