GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski Says She’s Open To Caucusing With Democrats If They Pick Up Enough Seats In ’26

by Sherry ChenJune 27, 2025, 6:22 pmNews >

The Republican Party continues to fracture in President Donald Trump’s second term in the White House. Now, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said she is considering becoming an independent and caucusing with the Democratic party.

Murkowski has been a long-time critic of Trump and has stated that she did not vote for him in any of the three elections he has run in.

Since Trump began his second term in office, she has frequently critiqued Trump’s handling of his duties. In February, she criticized Trump for his dispute with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office. Murkowski also slammed the Trump administration for betraying Afghan immigrants when their temporary protected status was removed.

In March, Murkowski said other Republicans were “scared” of opposing Trump and the former head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Elon Musk, over sweeping funding cuts.

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In an interview with Galen Druke and his GD Politics podcast, Druke asked her how she would react if the Democrats won three seats in the midterm elections to be held in 2026. He also added on the hypothetical of Murkowski being allowed to “pass bills that benefit Alaskans if you caucus with us [Democrats].”

“There may be that possibility,” she responded.

Murkowski told Druke that despite the challenges that she and other Republicans face under the current Trump administration, “I don’t see the Democrats being much better. And they’ve got not only their share of problems, but quite honestly, they’ve got some policies that I just inherently disagree with.”

Murkowski has consistently opposed the Democratic Party’s policies against the expansion of Alaska’s oil and gas drilling industry. Murkowski won over the Democrats in 2017 when oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was allowed following Congress’s approval.