Murkowski bucks party on Kavanaugh
Alaska senator faces Republican scorn for opposing confirmation of Supreme Court judge
WASHINGTON — Once again, Lisa Murkowski was all alone.
Eight years ago, Republican leaders abandoned the Alaska senator after she lost to a tea party primary challenger. On Saturday, hours after delivering an anguished speech to a nearly empty Senate chamber, she etched her place in history as the only Republican senator to oppose Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation.
She also became the target of sharp criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, who predicted in brief telephone interview Saturday that she would “never recover” from her vote and never be forgiven by the people of her state.
As the rest of her party celebrated Kavanaugh’s ascent to the nation’s highest court after a tumultuous nomination jolted by allegations of sexual misconduct, Murkowski reflected on what she said was a wrenching decision that had kept her from eating and sleeping well.
“Painful,” she said late Friday, describing her choice, which she attributed to concerns about Kavanaugh’s temperament when he testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the allegations last week. After the vote on Saturday, she voiced hope that Kavanaugh would work “to restore or build that public confidence.”
Murkowski’s vote was a stark reminder of the divisions the nomination fight sparked and of her increasingly lonely position in a party that has become less hospitable to moderating voices during Trump’s presidency.
“I was surprised,” said Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham. “She has every right to vote the way she would like. I disagree that he’s not the right guy at the right time.”
Now, Murkowski is facing a backlash on the right for her vote. “Hey @LisaMurkowski — I can see 2022 from my house,” tweeted former Alaska governor and Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, referencing the next time Murkowski would face reelection.
In the interview with The Washington Post, Trump said: “I think the people from Alaska will never forgive her for what she did.”