U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) has defeated GOP challenger Kelly Tshibaka in Alaska’s race for U.S. Senate. Former President Donald Trump backed Tshibaka, and it was a fairly close race.
The ranked choices for the contest were released Wednesday. Murkowski got 53.7% of the vote, while Tshibaka came close with a 46.3%. Once Democrat Pat Chesbro was eliminated, Murkowski’s ranking jumped.
The Alaska Division of Elections explained how voting works in the state.
If a candidate gets a 50% +1 vote in round one, that candidate is the winner. This didn’t happen this year, so the contest had to move to round two. During the second round, the candidate with the fewest votes gets eliminated; however, the ballot for that candidate is transferred to the voter’s second choice.
Murkowski was ahead in the first-choice ballots on November 8th before the elimination round. At the time, Murkowski had a 43.4% while Tshibaka had a 42.6% — still a close call. But the outcome is a significant defeat for true conservatives as Tshibaka’s endorsement of Trump and acknowledgment of past fraudulent voting practices played an essential role in the Alaskan people’s decision.
Tshibaka took to Twitter about the loss in a statement on Wednesday. She thanked former President Trump and God. She wrote, “I love this state with all my heart because of its endless potential and because of the resilient, compassionate, and fiercely loyal people who call it home. I will continue to fight for Alaska and we, the people, but will take some time to reflect upon what that may look like.”
I'm proud of the race we ran and I will always stand up for Alaskans. Read my full statement below: pic.twitter.com/VPq3UAqXDb
— Kelly Tshibaka – Text KELLY to 20903 (@KellyForAlaska) November 24, 2022
Meanwhile, the election gave significant insight into the people of the state’s views in general. Murkowski is known for having a “moderate Republican” style that mimics leftist views. The senator supports abortion rights and works with Democrats to pass large infrastructure bills. Most believe she is a fluke and not Republican at all due to the times she called for Trump’s impeachment.
