Lisa Murkowski Alaska

US Senate In Great Flux As Fall Elections Arrive!

Ronald 18 Comments

The United States Senate is in great flux as the Midterm Elections of 2026 arrive in less than four months.

Turnover will be massive:

11 Senators are retiring.

2 Senators have been defeated for renomination.

1 Senator (Lindsey Graham) just passed away.

Seven other Senators running for reelection face the possibility of losing their seat, 5 Republicans and 2 Democrats.

Dan Sullivan in Alaska (R)
Ashley Moody in Florida (R)
Jon Ossoff in Georgia (D)
Susan Collins in Maine (R)
Ed Markey in Massachusetts (D)
Pete Ricketts in Nebraska (R)
Jon Husted in Ohio (R)

Additionally, with Republican Senator Mitch McConnell still in recovery from a fall and a bout with pneumonia, and with Lindsey Graham’s passing creating a void on key Senate committees, plus the opposition of several Republican Senators to some Donald Trump agenda items, it is unlikely that what the White House wants will occur in the three and a half months until the midterms.

Senators John Cornyn of Texas, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky when he returns to the Senate, are all “wild cards” that make major actions unlikely.

Also, the fact of Lindsey Graham’s death opens up the possibility that his South Carolina Senate seat might be a possible gain for Democratic nominee Dr. Annie Andrews.

Republican Fury At Iran Agreement Very Evident!

Ronald 17 Comments

There is massive Republican and conservative fury at the Iran Agreement negotiated by Donald Trump’s Administration.

To many, it is clear nothing substantive was gained by the three and a half month war, and that the future situation in the Middle East Cauldron is far from stable.

Among the critics are:

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas
Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley
Former Vice President Mike Pence
Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina
Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana
Senator John Cornyn of Texas
Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas
Senator Susan Collins of Maine
Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
Former National Security Adviser John Bolton

Even Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota expressed concerns with the agreement.

And there are a long list of others, who see the Trump agreement with Iran as no better than the one negotiated by Barack Obama in 2015.

Republican Senate Majority In “Free Fall” For Remainder Of 2026!

Ronald 68 Comments

The Republican Party in the US Senate, under Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota, is facing a “free fall” for the remainder of 2026, through the contentious Midterm Elections this coming November.

While there are 53 Republican US Senators, with the recent defeat of Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and John Cornyn of Texas;

and the coming retirement of Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Thom Tillis of North Carolina;

and the continuing reputation for “independence” of Rand Paul of Kentucky and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska;

along with the usual difficult balancing act of Susan Collins of Maine, who faces a very difficult reelection campaigan against Graham Platner;

the potential for the loss of support for Donald Trump for the remainder of this year is likely.

Additionally, Utah Senator John Curtis is an independent minded member, and cannot be counted upon to be in loyal support of Trump on a constant basis, and is not up for reelection until 2030. As the successor to Mitt Romney, he is from the same tradition, as the former Senator and 2012 Presidential nominee, one of total independence.

Congressional Republicans’ Support Of Trump Splintering

Ronald 32 Comments

The sycophancy of Congressional Republicans, particularly Senate Republicans, toward Donald Trump is showing signs of splintering on a number of matters, further endangering the party as the Midterm Elections of 2026 come upon us in a little over five months.

Trump’s insistence of total loyalty of party members is wearing thin, as he alienated many by working against the renomination of Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy; endorsed Ken Paxton over Senator John Cornyn for the Texas Senate nomination that will be decided next week; and most divisive, his plan to set up a 1.776 Billion Compensation Fund, also termed the “Anti Weaponization Fund”, for so called victims of government “mistreatment”, including the January 6, 2021 US Capitol Insurrectionists, who went to prison for their crimes, before being pardoned by Trump on Day One of his second term.

The willingness of many Republican Senators to be openly critical of the idea of paying insurrectionists and convicted criminals compensation, often in the millions of dollars, was made evident after a tumultuous two hour meeting with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. Among those who were outraged were Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, Maine Senator Susan Collins, Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, North Carolina, Senator Thom Tillis, Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, and Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson.

But also there are opponents of the proposed White House Ballroom; the proposed Triumphal Arch; and other spending on vanity projects that Trump has promoted.

With Trump’s public approval ratings reaching an all time low, and with the Iran War continuing without any end in sight, and the abuses of ICE and other government agencies and the horrors of so many Trump government officials, we are finally seeing a disintegration of party support for Trump.

The question is however how far will the revolt against Trump develop over the next months until November, and beyond.

Only Two Senators And One House Member Who Voted For Impeachment Of Trump After January 6, 2021 Remain In Congress

Ronald 15 Comments

After the January 6, 2021 US Capitol Insurrection, incited by President Donald Trump, 10 Republicans in the House voted to impeach Trump, and 7 Republican Senators voted to convict Trump.

Sadly, as we face the Midterm Elections of 2026, only ONE House member, and only TWO Senators remain in Congress for the future, and one of the Senators, Susan Collins of Maine, faces a tough contest against Democrat Graham Platner, for her desired sixth term in the upper body.

David Valadao of California is running for reelection, and while the district lines are likely to change, due to the vote of Californians to promote redistricting to favor Democrats, it seems likely that Valadao will keep his House seat.

Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska does not face voters again until 2028, but having already beaten back an attempt to defeat her in 2010, when she lost the Republican primary, ran as an Independent, and still was elected again, as she was in 2016 and 2022.

Four of the other five Senate Republicans who voted to convict Trump all retired at the end of their term—Richard Burr of North Carolina in 2022; Patrick Toomey of Pennsylvania in 2022; Ben Sasse of Nebraska by resigining in 2023; Mitt Romney of Utah in 2024; and now Bill Cassidy of Louisiana has been defeated in the Republican primary yesterday.

This is a sad commentary on the reputation of the Republican Party, as Donald Trump works to wipe out the truth and the facts that led to the impeachment trial, and the first time to have multiple members of his party vote to convict and remove.

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul Courageously Critical Of Trump Domestic And Foreign Policies

Ronald 3 Comments

Anyone who has read my blog over the past 17 plus year since August 2008 know I am not a fan of Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul.

His father, former Congressman Ron Paul, was also not someone I would endorse.

Both Pauls were and are “libertarians”, which is a viewpoint I totally disagree with on principle.

When Rand Paul contended for the Presidency in 2016, it was made clear by this author and blogger that the thought of him in the White House was horrifying.

However, in the present, Rand Paul has taken stands that this author and blogger can agree with.

Paul has been a critic of the invasion and overthrow of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, particularly in regard to the Trump Administration and Secretary of State Marco Rubio not informing Congress under the War Powers Act of 1973.

Also, Paul has been a critic of the tactics and actions of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), and has been concerned about the damage to civil liberties and the Bill of Rights. He is calling for testimony before the Senate Homeland Security Committee, for which he is the Chairman, by the heads of ICE and Customs and Border Protection, in February, in the light of the murder of Alex Pretti and Rene Good in Minneapolis in January.

Paul has been willing to go against Donald Trump openly, more than almost any other Republican Senator, except for Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski and soon retiring North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis.

So as a Senator with true beliefs, and an element of courage, it is appropriate that Rand Paul be saluted for behaving in a proper, principled manner on these issues, while this author and blogger reserves the right to be critical of Paul on other matters.

Republican Senate Critics Of Trump “Big, Beautiful” House Bill!

Ronald 32 Comments

Now that the “Big, Beautiful” Donald Trump House bill has passed by the bare margin of 215-214, it is up to the US Senate and Republican majority to have its role in the process.

This bill is so horrendous, that it is hoped that the Republican Senate will balk at it, but hard to imagine that it can be stopped.

Senators Rand Paul of Kentucky, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, and Josh Hawley of Missouri all have registered problems with the bill, for different reasons.

To count on these four objectionable legislators to, somehow, save the day, and prevent the horrors of this proposed legislation, causes a sense of despair.

If all four, along with Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Susan Collins of Maine, and were to ally together, it could possibly occur, assuming no Democrat would join the majority.

But that is even assuming that Murkowski and Collins would not disappoint which is no certainty!

In Two Days, Trump Has Destroyed Tens Of Millions’ Economic Security!

Ronald 11 Comments

In just two days, Donald Trump has destroyed tens of millions’s economic security, with his Tariff Wars on the entire world, except, interestingly, for such authoritarian governments as the Russian Federation, Cuba, North Korea, and Belarus!

People’s retirement accounts and economic well being, regarding Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and so much else, are being systematically destroyed by the extremist right wing assault headed by Elon Musk, with Donald Trump’s endorsement.

THe nation and the world are in the grips of a maniacal, dangerous tyrant, who seems to have no concern for the damage he has wrought!

One of his unnamed White House aides used the F word, to say Donald Trump did not give a F—-about anyone who opposed what is doing, and that he is not going to change course.

This is a massive domestic and worldwide crisis that undermines everything decent that the United States has promoted and believed in!

Democrats, including Cory Booker, Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Maxwell Alejandro Frost, Elizabeth Warren, Chris Murphy,—and Republicans, including Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, Mitch McConnell, Ted Cruz, Thom Tillis, Chuck Grassley, Don Bacon—are sounding the alarm, and Congress must unite with Democrats and a handful of Republicans to stop the dangerous, destructive tariff wars that are undermining the American economy and well being of its citizens, as well as the world at large!

Trump Tariffs Cause Biggest Stock Market Decline In Five Years!

Ronald 8 Comments

Donald Trump’s lunatic tariffs have caused the biggest Stock Market decline since March 2020, in the early days of the COVID 19 Pandemic!

Stocks declined about 4 percent, and the effects of Trump tariffs are reverberating all over the globe.

But a few Republicans are starting to revolt against them, including Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, and even President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley of Iowa.

A movement is starting to take away the President’s assertiveness to control tariffs, when historically, it was Congress that determined tariffs.

The question is, though, will House Republicans revolt in enough number with Democrats to join the Democrats and the few recalcitrant Republicans mentioned above in the Senate, to bring action?

If not, America is on the road to a potential Second Great Depression, and total disarray in international affairs, as Trump makes NATO nations, Asian allies, and China, Mexico, and Canada victims of his maniacal behavior!

It is time for joint action to restrict and limit Donald Trump, and prevent him from becoming a totally authoritarian dictator!

Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski: A Profile In Courage, Principle, And Decency!

Ronald 4 Comments

The Republican Party in the 1970s had members of Congress who spoke up against the abuses of power under President Richard Nixon, most notably the Watergate Scandal.

Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater (Mr. Conservative); Pennsylvania Senator Hugh Scott (Minority Leader); and Arizona House Minority Leader John Rhodes all showed true statesmanship, by going to the White House and telling Nixon that he would not survive an impeachment trial.

Sadly, fifty years later, Republicans in Congress, with a very few exceptions, refused to take action against the abuses of Donald Trump in his first term.

And now, in his second term, and being much more abusive and law breaking in just two months in office, almost all Republicans in Congress are overlooking what is going on, as they are terrified that Elon Musk will “primary” them for their next election, if they dare to speak up on principle against Trump.

At a difficult time like this, there is at least one major exception to this cowardice, and that is Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, who has been in office since 2002, and won reelection as an Independent in 2010 against Republican and Democratic Senate opponents. She voted to impeach Trump in his second trial in 2021. She has managed to be truly courageous, principled, decent, and honorable, and speaks her mind, and has been criticized by Trump and Musk, but she carries on with no fear.

Mirkowski has great respect from Alaska voters, and at a difficult time such as now, she is a rare case of someone who will speak her mind, and criticize and oppose Trump, unafraid to condemn his abuses of power.

So Lisa Murkowski is a true “Profile in Courage”, and if another book, such as the one published by Senator John F. Kennedy in 1956 on courageous Senators is ever published in the future, Murkowski should head Chapter One!