Lisa Murkowski

Senate Appointment

In 1998, Murkowski won the first of three terms in the Alaska state House, representing north Anchorage. By 2002, based on her push to raise statewide taxes to make up for a budget shortfall, many conservatives opposed Murkowski’s reelection bid. She won the Republican primary against vocational counselor Nancy Dahlstrom by just 57 votes, 486 to 429, and went on to defend her seat in the general election.

Her father was simultaneously running for governor. “We have always maintained very separate identities at least for the time I have been in the legislature,” Murkowski said. “I haven’t called him for counseling and typically he doesn’t offer.”Spiess, Ben, “New senator known for her independence,” Anchorage Daily News, Dec. 21, 2002, Lexis-Nexis Though she ran for House speaker during her 2002 campaign, her colleagues appointed a more conservative representative and named Murkowski the majority leader for the upcoming 2003-2004 state House term.

She never served as majority leader, however, because on Dec. 20, 2002, Murkowski’s dad, Frank, appointed her to the Senate seat he was departing after having held it for 22 years. Lisa Murkowski became just the state’s sixth senator.Almanac of American Politics, 2008 edition, National Journal

In 2002, Frank Murkowski won the governor’s office easily after leaving the Senate with two years left in his term. The Republican-controlled Alaska legislature had recently passed a law that stated the incoming governor would appoint a successor if a Senate vacancy occurred rather than the outgoing chief executive — which in this case was Gov. Tony Knowles (D). Frank Murkowski said he wanted his successor to have legislative experience but be young enough to serve for many years.

On Nov. 15, 2002, he put out a short list of potential nominees. His daughter was on it, as was state Sen. Ben Stevens (R), the majority leader and son of Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska). “I wanted to take my name off the list two dozen times,” Lisa Murkowski said. “It was [about] family. It’s a huge, huge commitment.”

“I realized that him appointing me and me accepting an appointment was probably the most difficult thing for both of us,” she said. “The easiest thing I could have done was to stay in my rather comfortable little universe that I had created. I had a good political career in the state, and my family was pretty well-balanced with how we were working it all. … In my mind and, I believe, in his, he was absolutely certain that I was the best person for it. And you rise above the difficulties the appointment brought with it.”Pershing, Ben, “Filling Murkowski’s Shoes Isn’t Easy for Murkowski,” Roll Call, Jan. 27, 2003,

2004 Election Race

Murkowski had history on her side going into the 2004 race for a full-term: no Alaska Republican senator had ever lost.

In the GOP primary she faced former Alaska Senate president Mike Miller (R), who questioned Murkowski's conservative credentials on abortion, the right to bear arms and her efforts to raise the state income tax. Her father’s lieutenant governor endorsed Miller. With the backing of Stevens and Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), Murkowski won the primary, 58 to 37 percent.Almanac of American Politics, 2008 edition, National Journal,

In the general election, Murkowski challenged Knowles, her father’s predecessor in the governor’s mansion. Knowles had been friends with President George W. Bush at Yale and was mayor of Anchorage before serving two terms as governor. Like Murkowski, Knowles supported drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the gas pipeline. Alaska media noted that each candidate was considered a moderate in his or her own party, and that their positions often seemed to meet in the middle. One difference between them was Knowles stated in October 2004 that he wouldn’t have voted to use force in Iraq, while Murkowski said she would have.

Another thing going against Murkowski was a general distaste for what Alaskans saw as the nepotism implied by her appointment by her dad. A ballot measure put forward by three Democratic state representatives to stop governors from appointing new senators passed in November 2004 with 56 percent of the vote. It stipulates that a governor can only appoint a new senator to serve for 60 to 90 days until a special election is held.“Murkowski narrowly defeats Knowles,” CNN, Nov. 3, 2004

Murkowski trailed in the polls through much of the 2004 campaign. She argued that it would be disastrous for Alaskans if Republicans lost their then 51-49 Senate majority. “The Republican agenda is synonymous with the Alaska agenda,” Murkowski said during a late campaign stop.Tsong, Nicole, “Murkowski: ‘The Republican agenda is synonymous with the Alaska agenda’: U.S. Senate fight rages to the end,” Anchorage Daily News, Oct. 31, 2004, Lexis-Nexis

In November, Murkowski won a slim three-point victory, 49 to 46 percent, becoming the first woman Alaskans had elected to Congress.

In January 2009, Senate Minority Leader McConnell (R-Ky.) made Murkowski one of his three “counsels” to provide guidance and advice when the 111th  Congress convened , along with Sens. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) and  Bob Bennett (R-Utah). She was also made ranking member on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (where her father was formerly chairman) and got Sen. Stevens’ old position on the Appropriations Committee after he was defeated by  Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich (D) in 2008.Stanton, John, “McConnell Brings Murkowski Into Inner Circle,” Roll Call, Jan. 28, 2009,

The Economy

Murkowski voted for the $700 billion financial bailout package in October 2008, but joined the majority of her Republican colleagues to vote against President Barack Obama’s $787 billion stimulus plan in February 2009.

As a member of Alaska’s House  =in 2002, Murkowski was part of a bipartisan Fiscal Policy Caucus that made an unsuccessful push for statewide tax increases to make up for a budget shortfall. At the time, her father was running for governor on a platform of no-new taxes. Murkowski next successfully fought to raise the state alcohol tax from 3 cents per drink to 10 cents—the country’s highest alcohol tax. Her stance angered some fellow Republicans.

Abortion Rights

Murkowski has also seen her conservative credentials challenged when it comes to abortion rights.

She has voted against restricting publicly-funded abortions, saying in a floor speech in Alaska’s House, “I may have a very short-lived political future here. I’m going to stand up for the Constitution and I'm going to stand up for the women of Alaska and I'm going to vote no.”

But she has also said abortion should only be legal in cases of rape, incest, or when the mother’s health is at stake. Alaska Right to Life has repeatedly declined to endorse Murkowski, with the executive director saying, “She is not pro-life.”Spiess, Ben, “New senator known for her independence,” Anchorage Daily News, Dec. 21, 2002, Lexis-Nexis

Energy and The Environment

Murkowski supports the Alaska natural gas pipeline and drilling in the Arctic Natural Wildlife Refuge and argues that they are part of a long-term energy plan. She was disappointed in 2003 when the Senate voted against opening up ANWR to oil drilling, but in 2004, with then-Sen. Stevens’ help, she included authorization of the gas pipeline in a must-pass military appropriations bill.

After Obama's Environmental Protection Agency head Lisa P. Jackson released findings that would allow the agency to regulate emissions thought to contribute to global warming, the EPA proposed new rules to governemissions from cars and trucks. Watson, Traci, USA Today, "EPA to Propose Ways to Cut Car Emissions," September 14, 2009

But Murkowski introduced an amendment to the EPA's 2010 spending bill that would forbid the agency from regulating carbon dioxide emissions from stationery sources, such as power plants and factories. Bravender, Robin and Darren Samuelsohn, ClimateWire, "Murkowski CO2 Amendment Could Have Broad Reach," September 22, 2009 See full resolution here

"We are not incapable, or even unwilling, to legislate on this topic," Murkowski said in a January 2010 floor speech. "We're being presented with a false choice between unacceptable legislation, and unacceptable regulations." Eilperin, Juliet, The Washington Post, "Murkowski Targets EPA on Climate," January 21, 2010

Murkowski was criticized when The Washington Post revealed that two lobbyists representing the energy industry were closely involved in drafting the legislation. Eilperin, Juliet, The Washington Post, "Murkowski and her Lobbyist Allies," January 11,2010