Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska has hinted she may step down from the GOP and become independent due to her opposition to Donald Trump. The lawmaker voted in favor of Trump’s impeachment in 2021 and recently spoke to CNN’s Manu Raju, saying she is in the midst of “interesting political times.” She added that she wishes the Republican Party had a Presidential nominee she could support. “I certainly can’t get behind Donald Trump,” she insisted.
Mr. Raju asked the Senator if she felt she could stand as an independent candidate, and her response indicated that it was a possibility. Ms. Murkowski described herself as independent-minded and lamented what she saw as a GOP transforming into “a party of Donald Trump.”
Murkowski supported Nikki Haley in the Presidential primaries, and immediately after Mr. Trump’s nomination was confirmed, she publicly stated that she could not support him. The announcement came as no surprise to many, as last year, the Senator declared that the GOP had become “extremist, populist, and over-the-top.” She claimed many party members had approached her to say they were considering leaving. Furthermore, following the events of January 6, 2021, Senator Murkowski was among the first to demand Trump’s resignation.
The Alaskan is one of several Republicans who have elevated their voices in opposition to the GOP White House nominee. Trump’s critics include former Presidents, Vice Presidents, and members of his previous administration.
In 2021, former President George W Bush spoke out in opposition to the Trump Republican Party. He said it had become “isolationist, protectionist, and to a certain extent, nativist.” He explained that January 6 made him feel “sick” and tainted the image of the United States on the world stage.
Similarly, former Vice President Dick Cheney called Trump a coward who lost the 2020 election and then tried to steal it. He accused Mr. Trump of lying to his supporters in Washington, DC, and said there had never been a greater threat to American democracy.
