Kelly Tshibaka: Pro-Trump challenger’s residency issues catch Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski’s attention

When asked what she thought of her potential opponent, Murkowski replied, “I don’t know her. She came back to the state a few years ago.”

Tshibaka, who questioned the legitimacy of Biden’s victory, was re-examined in Alaska a month after gaining Trump’s backing.

Tim Murtaugh, senior advisor to the Tshibaka campaign, said Tshibaka was invited to the charity event in her official capacity as commissioner of the Alaska Administrative Department. He said the form was filled out for a permit which expired after a day, showing a “clear intention to purchase a non-resident permit”, although someone also drilled the hole for one. resident permit.

“Lisa Murkowski is clearly worried about Kelly, if she’s ready to attack him about it,” Murtaugh said.

Tshibaka’s adviser then attacked the senator, claiming she had promised to repeal the affordable care law before voting to keep it, and voted to confirm Home Secretary “wiping out energy” Deb Haaland. “Murkowski has long demonstrated a lack of integrity that always results in the loss of jobs, rights and safety for Alaskans,” Murtaugh said.

The Alaska run is one of Trump’s top targets – where he faces off against McConnell and his well-funded super PAC, the Senate Leadership Fund.

When asked Thursday if his group was ready to commit to helping Murkowski, McConnell told CNN: “Absolutely.”

“I fully expect her” to do, he added.

Murkowski herself has been coy about whether she would run again, saying on Thursday on Capitol Hill: “I’m not announcing anything at the moment.”

But she said earlier “not at all” when asked if she was concerned about facing a Trump-backed challenger.

“I’ve dealt with these things in the past,” said the moderate Republican, a reference to overcoming a backlash from conservative Republicans during her run in 2010.

Murkowski and Tshibaka both boast of their good faith in Alaska. The Tshibaka campaign website states that she was born in Alaska and raised in Wasilla and Anchorage. Prior to joining the administration of Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, Tshibaka worked in the offices of the Inspector General of the United States Postal Service, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Department of Justice in Washington, DC. Tshibaka tried to portray Murkowski’s experience in the Senate as a drawback, claiming that Alaskans “feel forgotten” by the senator.

Murkowski notes on her official website that she is “a third generation Alaskan proudly serving as the first senator born in Alaska.” She was first appointed to her seat in 2002 by her father, former Governor Frank Murkowski.

Residency issues have plagued opponents of Murkowski in the past. In 2010, Murkowski lost in the GOP primary to Tea Party candidate Joe Miller, but went on to run a rarely successful written campaign in the general election. Miller’s critics have also taken hold of stories of whether he met the residency requirements for a hunting and fishing license when he graduated from Yale law school.

If she turns up, as expected, Murkowski could very well benefit from a new system where candidates run together in a non-partisan primary, and the top four advance to the general election, when voters rank their preferences.

While Murkowski has not officially entered the contest, Tshibaka has already castigated the senator for the Republican of Alaska’s penchant for making deals with Democrats and breaking with Trump.

But Matthew Shuckerow, Republican Senator Dan Sullivan’s 2020 race campaign manager, said Murkowski could be rewarded for reaching a deal on a $ 1,000 billion bipartisan infrastructure bill that will send money. federal money to rebuild Alaska’s roads, bridges and ports.

“The people of Alaska expect a Congressional delegation that brings a lot to our state,” said Shuckerow. “Senator Murkowski, Sullivan and Congressman [Don] This is exactly what the young people did. “