Twice-impeached former President Donald Trump is looking to exert his influence over the Republican candidates in the upcoming 2022 midterms. Trump recently offered his endorsement of Alaska’s Republican Governor but in exchange for the governor’s non-endorsement of Senator Lisa Murkowski.
Trump announced that he plans to endorse Alaska governor Mike Dunleavy in his reelection bid. However, the former president said that Dunleavy would only receive his endorsement if he pledges to pull support from Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, who voted to convict Trump during his second impeachment trial at the Senate.
“Alaska needs Mike Dunleavy as Governor more than ever. He has my Complete and Total Endorsement but, this endorsement is subject to his non-endorsement of Senator Lisa Murkowski who has been very bad for Alaska,” the former president said in a statement. “In other words, if Mike endorses her, which is his prerogative, my endorsement of him is null and void, and of no further force or effect!”
Murkowski has drawn the ire of Trump as far back as his 2016 bid. The Alaska Republican at the time said that she would not vote for him following the release of the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape. By 2017, during the efforts by the GOP and Trump to repeal Obamacare, Murkowski was a key vote in the legislation.
Murkowski also voted against the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018 and questioned during Trump’s first impeachment trial in 2019 the efforts of the GOP-controlled Senate to defend the former president.
Trump was impeached for the second time for inciting the Capitol insurrection on January 6. The former president has also sought to block the National Archives from releasing documents of his White House related to the riots. Following the rejection of the Appeals Court, Trump has sought to appeal to the Supreme Court to block the House Committee from accessing his records.
The former president turned in an article by the Washington Post as proof that the House Committee’s investigation into his involvement in the Capitol insurrection was a “witch hunt.” To note, Trump has often referred to reports from the outlet as “fake news.”
The report by the Washington Post included an interview with the committee’s chair, Rep. Bennie Thompson, who said that the panel wants information that could determine if a criminal referral could be made on the former president.