By Senator Lisa Murkowski is openly weighing her political future amid growing tensions within the Republican Party, acknowledging she has considered caucusing with Democrats—a revelation that highlights her discomfort with an increasingly polarized GOP. In a candid interview marking the release of her memoir, Far from Home, Murkowski said she’s been approached about switching parties but insists her values remain broadly Republican despite frequent clashes with party orthodoxy.
Murkowski told Semafor that although she acknowledges the possibility, she remains firm in her identity as an independent-minded Republican, emphasizing, “I don’t let a label define me.”
“I would be not being honest with you if I said I’ve never been asked … ‘Why don’t you switch?’ Or people have said, ‘You should switch,’” Murkowski told Semafor in a recent interview ahead of her new book, “Far from Home: An Alaskan Senator Faces the Extreme Climate of Washington, D.C.”
Murkowksi said she has “considered” switching to the Democratic Party when asked about it but doesn’t appear close to pulling the trigger on such a dramatic move, which could shake up the balance of power on Capitol Hill, wrote The Hill.
“Have I considered it? Yes, because I’ve been asked the question,” she said.
Murkowski acknowledged she sometimes doesn’t feel comfortable in the Republican Party.
“Do I feel that within my Republican conference, I always feel like I’m right here in my political home? No. There’s some directions and policies that I disagree with,” she told Semafor, but emphasized that her political outlook generally aligns “more closely” with the GOP.
NEW: Sen. Murkowski tells me, on the question of whether she'd consider becoming an independent & caucusing with the Dems if they pick up 3 seats in the midterms:
"There may be that possibility," and, "There is some openness to exploring something different than the status quo."… pic.twitter.com/DJXpb5GBGX
— Galen Druke (@galendruke) June 23, 2025
Murkowski expressed dissatisfaction with both major political parties, stating Republicans face significant internal challenges but emphasizing Democrats also have notable problems and policies with which she fundamentally disagrees.
Murkowski’s memoir chronicles her political journey through Alaska’s challenging landscape—from being appointed to the Senate by her father, former Governor Frank Murkowski, to her improbable victory in a 2010 write-in campaign after losing a primary battle. Her record of breaking party ranks, notably opposing Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation and supporting some Biden administration nominees, has regularly put her at odds with GOP loyalists.
Despite these disagreements, Murkowski maintains a pragmatic relationship with President Donald Trump, who sought unsuccessfully to oust her in 2022. She described a recent conversation with Trump as “very pleasant,” noting their mutual focus on Alaska’s economic interests. “I told him I’ve been critical, but my mom raised me to know when to speak out and when to say thank you,” she explained.
As debate intensifies around the GOP’s tax-cut proposal, Murkowski continues to advocate for deliberate policymaking over rushed deadlines. “I’d rather take the time to get this as close to right as possible,” she said, underscoring her independent stance.
The current Senate composition—53 Republicans, 45 Democrats, and two independents aligned with Democrats—still favors Republicans, but this balance could change by November 2026, when voters will decide 33 of the chamber’s 100 seats for new six-year terms.
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