Trump-Endorsed Murkowski Challenger Says She Wouldn’t Support McConnell As GOP Leader

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 02: Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), (L) chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, speaks to the media about amendments to the Energy Bill, while flanked by Senate Majority ... WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 02: Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), (L) chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, speaks to the media about amendments to the Energy Bill, while flanked by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) (R), February 2, 2016 in Washington, DC. The Senators discussed the comprehensive energy legislation that is currently before the Senate. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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Kelly Tshibaka, a Trump-endorsed Republican challenging Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), on Monday said that would not support Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) as GOP leader after he reached a deal with Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to raise the debt ceiling with a simple majority.

In a statement issued Monday, Tshibaka swiped at McConnell by accusing him of having “repeatedly bailed out” President Biden. Tshibaka referred to the Senate minority leader’s vow in October that Republicans would refuse to help raise the debt ceiling this month. Tshibaka also took aim at Murkowski for “helping” McConnell.

“The actions of McConnell and Murkowski on the debt ceiling show that it’s the political elites pitted against real Americans,” Tshibaka said. “When I defeat Murkowski and become Alaska’s next U.S. Senator, I will not support Mitch McConnell as leader. It’s time for new, America First leadership in the Senate.”

Tshibaka’s statement signals that she’s taking a cue from Trump in knocking both McConnell for supposed insufficient loyalty. After McConnell condemned the former president for his role in inciting the deadly Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, Trump has continued to hold a grudge against him. Not only did the former president bash McConnell by calling him a “dumb son of a bitch” during the RNC’s spring donor retreat earlier this year, Trump also reportedly told senators and allies about recruitment efforts to depose McConnell.

Additionally, the former president has coined the nickname of “broken old crow” for McConnell in a series of recent statements about grievances he has towards the Senate minority leader, which include voting alongside 18 other GOP senators to pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill.

Tshibaka also took a cue from Trump in attacking Murkowski by painting her challenger as someone who caved to Biden and Democratic lawmakers. In his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in February, Trump called out each of the 17 Republican lawmakers who voted to impeach or convict him for “incitement of insurrection” — which included Murkowski — and demanded Republicans to “get rid of them all.” Trump has since vowed to endorse challengers of Republicans who dared to defy his election fraud falsehoods.

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Notable Replies

  1. Such dumb-fucks. And we must cultivate this stupidity. The irony is brutal.

  2. Avatar for pshah pshah says:

    People so lacking talent that they need to depend on a narcissistic anti-democratic blowhard to have even a remote chance of winning a race really shouldn’t bother running. But by accepting his support, they’ve already shown they have no dignity.

  3. Republicans in disarray!

    Wait, why isn’t the media reporting it when Republicans try to eat their own? They are far more likely to violently disintegrate than Democrats, the people making noise are literally threatening to kill Republicans who won’t get in line. It’s a far more volatile situation, and more dangerous for the country, but it’s way down there in reporting, while every day we hear how Biden and Democrats are flailing, even as the economy recovers and the government is functioning smoothly. It’s almost like the right wing media is controlling the messaging of all media…

  4. When your enemy is making a mistake, do not distract them.

    – attributed to Sun Tzu

  5. When your enemy is drowning, through him an anvil.
    attributed to James Carville

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