Murkowski openly admitted that she and her Republican colleagues were “all afraid” of “retaliation” from Trump, as she criticized his policies.

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) openly admitted that she and her Republican colleagues were “all afraid” of “retaliation” from President Donald Trump as she criticized what she called “unlawful” executive overreach and sweeping federal cuts.

  • Helvetica@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    100·
    3 days ago

    She’s 67 years old. She’s been in the Senate for over 20 years. She can decide to retire after her current term and they can’t use the threat of a primary against her. It’s her choice to cower in fear and empower the destruction of our democracy. Because she is watching that happen. In the end she’s just another pathetic boomer willing to bow to trump to cling to power.

    • booly@sh.itjust.works
      24·
      3 days ago

      they can’t use the threat of a primary against her

      She lost the 2010 primary during the height of the Tea Party movement, ran a campaign to have people vote for her as a write in candidate, and won as a write in.

      In the end, the problem is that her vote doesn’t actually matter this cycle, at least not by itself. In order to flex any muscle she’d need to actually persuade some colleagues to stand up to Trump. At this point she’s more of a Republican Fetterman than a Republican Sinema/Manchin.

      • Helvetica@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        4·
        2 days ago

        Yeah, I’m aware she’s an outlier in that she beat back the crazies once before, but 2010 is not 2024. In 2010 Trump wasn’t a factor. The cult was forming, but there was no messiah yet. If tomorrow trump singled her out for hate like he did Liz Cheney she’d get wrecked instantly, and she knows it.

        • booly@sh.itjust.works
          2·
          2 days ago

          Alaska is just weird, and I wouldn’t attribute too much in national electoral trends to that specific state. It now has an instant runoff general election after a top-4 jungle primary, which makes the craziest candidates less viable. Sarah Palin is very much a Trumpist, but couldn’t win a statewide election in 2022 (enough Republicans in the state hate her that they voted for Begich first, then flipped to the Democrat or didn’t vote once Begich dropped out in the instant runoff).

          It’d be hard to properly analyze a hypothetical about Murkowski running for reelection amidst a Trump attack campaign and an endorsement of a more Trumpist opponent, but I wouldn’t discount her chances even in that environment. Especially if she does succeed in forming a mini caucus with other Republican Senators that fight to preserve legislative power to check the Presidency.