Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski won’t rule out running as an independent

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a longtime critic of Donald Trump, teased a possible exit from the GOP over its unwavering commitment to the former president, refusing to rule out a run as an independent.

In a brief interview with CNN’s Manu Raju from Capitol Hill, Murkowski reiterated her disapproval of Trump and lamented the party’s continued defense of him.

“I wish that as Republicans, we could have a nominee that I could get behind. I certainly can’t get behind Donald Trump,” she said.

NEW: Republican Sen. @lisamurkowski won’t rule out running as an independent, when asked by @mkraju. #InsidePolitics pic.twitter.com/zzP9C2Dnvc

— Inside Politics (@InsidePolitics) March 24, 2024

When asked if she would consider leaving the Republican party and becoming an independent, Murkowski responded, “Oh, I think I’m very independent-minded.”

“I just regret that our party is seemingly becoming a party of Donald Trump,” she added.

Murkowski has frequently crossed swords with Trump and prevailed in a 2022 attempt to unseat her, when he threw his support behind her election rival Kelly Tshibaka. She’s voiced concerns about Trump’s hold on the GOP and floated the possibility of leaving the party before.

The longtime Alaska senator was one of only seven GOP senators to vote to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial over his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection. Only three other senators who voted against Trump remain in the chamber—Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Mitt Romney (R-UT), who will retire at the end of his term.

Murkowski had previously endorsed Nikki Haley for president. But after Haley suspended her campaign, following a weak showing in the primaries, Murkowski was left without a candidate to back.