Overview

• Murkowski refused to rule out exiting the Republican Party, saying there is openness to “exploring something different than the status quo.”
• She confirmed she has considered switching parties or becoming an independent, especially if Democrats gain a three-seat Senate majority in 2026.
• Murkowski’s potential defection depends on incentives from Senate Democrats to advance bills that benefit Alaska.
• In her new book and recent interviews, she has sharply criticized President Trump’s MAGA movement as a “personality cult that has ripped us apart.”
• Long regarded as one of the Senate’s most moderate Republicans, she has voiced discomfort with strict partisan labels and disagreements with both major parties.