Lisa Murkowski

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered an investigation into allegations, first reported by The New York Times, that Senate candidate Mary Peltola's campaign recruited a retiree named Dan J. Sullivan to run against incumbent Sen. Dan S. Sullivan to confuse Republican voters. President Trump called for Peltola's removal from the ballot, though early voting already began October 19. The Justice Department has filed a preemptive lawsuit seeking to block certification if Peltola wins, a move Sen. Lisa Murkowski publicly opposed. Peltola's campaign dismissed the story as a distraction, while a former aide said Peltola was aware of the effort but not directly involved. It remains unclear whether any law was broken.

Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski has endorsed Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins in Alaska's gubernatorial race ahead of the November 3 midterm election, breaking with her party in a contest that also includes three Republican candidates. The winner succeeds term-limited Gov. Mike Dunleavy. Murkowski cited the need for bipartisan problem-solving on fiscal policy, energy costs, and economic growth, saying partisanship shouldn't hamstring the state's future. She said she will not change party affiliation. Kreiss-Tomkins welcomed the backing, pledging cooperation with the legislature and industry. The endorsement comes as attention also turns to Sen. Dan Sullivan's Trump-backed reelection bid under Alaska's top-four primary and ranked-choice system.

Alaska voters will decide this November whether to repeal the state's four-year-old election system, which combines an open top-four primary with ranked-choice voting in the general election. Supporters, including Senate President Gary Stevens and House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, say the system has fostered bipartisan governance and protected moderates from partisan primary pressure in a state where more than 60 percent of voters are unaffiliated. Critics argue the system is confusing and invites gamesmanship, pointing to two Republican candidates both named Dan Sullivan running for U.S. Senate, and to Democrats consolidating behind gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins after a rival dropped out.

The repeal campaign has drawn heavy out-of-state funding, including large donations from Elon Musk and Jeff Yass to a PAC backing the measure. This marks the third time since 2020 that Alaskans have voted on their primary system. The outcome could shape competitiveness in key races, including the three-way Republican gubernatorial field and the Senate contest involving Democrat Mary Peltola, while determining whether Alaska keeps its distinctive alternative to traditional partisan primaries.

A bipartisan bill aimed at preventing presidents from demolishing presidential memorials, including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, was blocked in the Senate on Monday after Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, objected to a unanimous consent request, offering no public explanation. The bill, introduced by Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and co-sponsored by Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Jack Reed, Sheldon Whitehouse and Chris Van Hollen, would have required congressional approval before demolishing any presidential memorial designated by Congress. On the floor, Merkley accused Trump of wanting the building destroyed if he could not rename it after himself, framing the bill as a defense of the rule of law and separation of powers.

The effort follows weeks of turmoil at the Kennedy Center after a judge ruled twice that Trump could not attach his name to the building, prompting a brief closure and renewed demolition threats from Trump, who cited disrepair. A leaked photo showed Trump holding a sign reading "Kennedy Center DEMOLISH." A judge has since ordered any changes to the center be disclosed to the court 30 days in advance. Trump has floated replacing the venue with an outdoor amphitheater, while Rep. Joyce Beatty's lawsuit against renaming or destroying the center continues.