Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski announced Friday that she will oppose Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general, joining Sen. Susan Collins of Maine as the only Republicans opposing the confirmation. Despite her opposition, Blanche appears to have secured enough votes for confirmation after Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana announced his support at the last minute.
Murkowski’s stated concerns center on potential politicization of the Justice Department. In her announcement, she characterized Blanche as someone who “comes across as decent and capable,” but expressed worry that he might reverse his decision to rescind what she called the “anti-weaponization fund” after confirmation.
According to The Federalist, Murkowski claimed that the “politicization” and “even weaponization” of the Justice Department “did not start with this administration but has accelerated during it.” The outlet interpreted this as Murkowski equating efforts to hold previous DOJ officials accountable with the alleged weaponization that occurred during prior administrations.
Contrasting Confirmation Votes
The Alaska senator’s opposition to Blanche stands in notable contrast to her 2021 vote confirming Merrick Garland as attorney general under President Biden. During Garland’s tenure, the Justice Department faced criticism from Republicans over various enforcement actions, including prosecutions related to January 6, 2021 Capitol protests, investigations of parents at school board meetings, and cases involving pro-life activists.
Murkowski also supported several other Biden administration cabinet nominees, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.
Pattern of Bipartisan Votes
On judicial nominations, Murkowski has broken with her party on high-profile Supreme Court confirmations. She did not support Brett Kavanaugh’s 2018 confirmation to the Supreme Court, but was among the three Republicans who voted to confirm Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson in 2022.
Since President Trump’s return to office, Murkowski has opposed several Republican legislative priorities. She voted against the SAVE America Act and opposed a bill amendment that would have blocked taxpayer funding to Planned Parenthood. She has also criticized the administration’s immigration enforcement policies and attempted to preserve certain Biden-era energy programs.
Alaska’s Unique Electoral System
Murkowski’s position in the Senate has been secure despite her independent voting record, partly due to Alaska’s election system changes. The state adopted a ranked-choice voting system that has altered the dynamics of statewide elections. Murkowski won reelection in 2022 under this system, defeating Republican challenger Kelly Tshibaka in the ranked-choice runoff despite finishing second in the initial vote count.
The senator faces reelection in 2028, when Alaska voters will decide whether to return her for another term or elect a replacement who may more consistently align with Republican priorities.
With Cassidy’s support, Blanche is expected to secure confirmation as attorney general, making Murkowski’s opposition largely symbolic. The vote is expected to proceed in the coming days, with Republicans holding a narrow majority in the Senate.
Source: thefederalist.com — https://thefederalist.com/2026/08/07/today-in-republicans-being-useless-murkowski-tries-but-fails-to-sink-blanche-confirmation/