Lisa Murkowski declines to vote for Trump in 2024 US election, hints at leaving Republican party

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who is a staunch critic of former US President Donald Trump, has not ruled out the reports of leaving the Republican party.

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who is a staunch critic of former US President Donald Trump, has not ruled out the reports of leaving the Republican party.

Senator Lisa Murkowski said in an interview to CNN that “'I wish that as Republicans, we had a nominee I could get behind," adding that she certainly “can't get behind” Trump. (AP )

Expressing discontent over Trump's grip on the GOP, the centrist Republican senator from Alaska, Murkowski, said in an interview to CNN: “I wish that as Republicans, we had a nominee I could get behind,” adding that she certainly “can't get behind” Trump. She has been representing Alaska in the United States Senate since 2002.

Trump critic Murkowski says ‘will not vote for Trump’

Murkowski was among the seven people who backed Trump's second impeachment following the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot. Following this, MAGA attempted to remove her from the position but their bid was unsuccessful.

She also told CNN that she will not vote for Trump in the November presidential elections.

On being asked if she was planning to leaving Republican party and becoming an independent, Murkowski said: "I think I'm very independent minded"

“I am navigating my way through some very interesting political times. Let's just leave it at that,” she reacted without confirming if she intends to switch parties.

Murkowski and other GOP Senator Susan Collins endorsed Nikki Haley just days before the former UN ambassador withdrew from the presidential campaign.

She further expressed regret that the Republican party “is seemingly becoming a party of Donald Trump” and reaffirmed her assertion that Trump incited the Capitol riot after losing against Biden in the 2020 presidential election.

“What happened on January 6 was … an effort by people who stormed the building in an effort to stop an election certification of an election" she noted, adding that “it can't be defended.”

Some more about Murkowski

In July 2022, Trump visited Anchorage, Alaska, to campaign for Kelly Tshibaka, who ran against Murkowski for the Senate seat. However, Tshibaka failed in her bid to remove the Republican senator.

It is to mention that Murkowski was assigned to the seat by her father, Frank Murkowski, who left the Senate to become Alaska's governor at the time.

After ending her father's Senate term, Murkowski was elected to her first full term, beginning in January 2005.

Republican party witnessed some crucial exits

The Republican party has seen an upsurge in the number of lawmakers leaving Congress, most of them are either retiring or seeking new opportunities.

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) announced that he will resign from Congress in April, leaving House Republicans with a one-vote advantage.

Similarly, Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) surprised GOPs when he announced his departure. He left the office on March 22, Friday.