Trump vs. Murkowski: Home team advantage

[DonViejo]

Alaska has an independent streak that Murkowski knows how to harness

By Stuart Rothenberg
Posted March 10, 2021 at 6:30am

ANALYSIS — Twice-impeached former President Donald Trump apparently has declared war on Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski.

According to Politico reporter Alex Isenstadt, Trump promised in a statement Saturday, “I will not be endorsing, under any circumstances, the failed candidate from the great State of Alaska, Lisa Murkowski. She represents her state badly and her country even worse. I do not know where other people will be next year, but I know where I will be — in Alaska campaigning against a disloyal and very bad Senator.”

Before you finish sketching out that image in your mind of Trump and a swarm of advisers traipsing from Anchorage to Fairbanks to Sitka to Ketchikan to Kodiak to Prudhoe Bay for six months to take down Murkowski, who was appointed to her seat in 2002 and has since won three full terms, including once as a write-in candidate, let’s recall that Trump carried Alaska in 2020 by only 10 points, 53 percent to 43 percent.

Four years earlier, he carried the state with 51 percent against Hillary Clinton’s 37 percent, while Libertarian Gary Johnson got 6 percent. That is very different from Alabama, Idaho, Kentucky, North Dakota, Oklahoma, West Virginia or other states that Trump carried by at least 25 points. Ten points is a win, but it is hardly a blowout these days.

more
https://www.rollcall.com/2021/03/10/trump-vs-murkowski-home-team-advantage/

[USAFRetired_Liberal]

1. I wish all states had an open primary

With the top 4 moving to the General election and then the winner being based off of ranked choice...I think things would be less partisan that way and right wing crazies wouldn’t win. Sure, a right winger would probably advance to the general election because they would probably always pull a strong 20%, but don’t see then winning 50% in the general by ranked choice

[PJMcK]

2. As usual, Trump is full of shit

He's not going to Alaska. He won't be campaigning against Murkowski or anyone else. As usual, Trump is all bluster and BS.

By this time next year, Trump will be consumed with his legal and financial problems. He will have neither the time, the money nor the inclination to get involved in primary challenges. Besides, can you really see Trump flying to Anchorage and stumping for an unknown right-winger? He's always consumed with the optics of a situation and it would look ridiculous for a former president to be giving a stump speech in Sitka at the local VFW.

But even if he does get involved, so what? He'll be dividing the Republicans which would only help the Democratic candidate in November. It's somewhat instructive that he's already in a fight with the RNC over fund-raising.

I love it when Republicans do our work for us.

[GoodRaisin]

3. He isn't going to do any campaigning for others that he has to pay for

with his own money. As usual he's just fleecing his supporters, trying to take their money.

[Miguelito Loveless]

4. Also, the home team advantage

is that Trump is highly unlikely to make the trip that far unless it means a substantial payday for him.