Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski has recently published her memoir, Far from Home. This book tells the story of her almost two-decade pilgrimage in the U.S. Senate. Her father, then-Governor Frank Murkowski, appointed her to the position in 2002. Since then, she has been re-elected four full terms and risen to a position of leadership within the Senate Republican conference. Her career has been defined by strange bedfellows and strange feuds, not least with former President Donald Trump.
Murkowski’s memoir brings us behind important scenes of her political career, providing readers with an invaluable glimpse into how she made decisions in dark days. She understands her personal reflections to be a discussion of larger systemic and political concerns. These concerns have hugely influenced our recent past, instead of being intended as specific critique of Trump’s administration.
It’s not like I highlighted things that were going on in the Trump administration or that directly tied to Trump, so much as they’re events in recent political memory that were very significant issues. Murkowski told us how she approaches the difficult challenges. She shared with us her approach to the issues tackled in her new book Collateral Damages.
During her career, Murkowski has frequently defied her party establishment. This boldness to take unpopular stands has angered Republican leaders, almost all of whom are opposed to considerable climate action. She held her ground and repeatedly voted against efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Working alongside their fellow Republican Senators Susan Collins and John McCain, they managed to thwart a separate Republican plan to roll back the health care reform. Her decision exemplified her commitment to what she believes is best for the American people rather than adhering strictly to party directives.
Murkowski’s advocacy has included support for energy and energy development initiatives in her home state of Alaska. She’s been a vocal advocate for opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling. Further, she supports the highly controversial Willow oil project, underlining her focus on economic development for her home state.
The senator’s long and complicated relationship with Trump has often been turbulent. She candidly acknowledged the paralysis so many feel on Capitol Hill due to fear of retribution from the former president. This suggests a more glaring fear of political retribution in our hyper-partisan climate.
“There’s a difference between asserting as much power as you are authorized, and then … kind of pushing the envelope and seeing if there’s even more,” she commented, reflecting on the balance of power within government. “And is the court going to check me? Is the legislative branch going to check me? And your question is, how much will the public tolerate? And I think we’re starting to see that.”
Her muscular political decisions have caught the attention of the party establishment. This was the first time that Murkowski had joined three other Republican senators in signing a letter opposing the complete repeal of any tax credits. Further, she was one of seven Republicans who in 2021 voted to convict Trump after his January 6 insurrection. Those moves have made her a pariah among Republicans while at the same time earning her deep respect from many Trump critics.
As she writes in her memoir, no matter the challenge, the focus should always start with carrying out constitutional obligations. “This is where I think we in Congress need to make sure that not only are we keeping the executive in check, but that we are doing our job. We’re doing what the constitution requires of us,” she stated, underlining her commitment to governance grounded in principles rather than partisanship.
“Murkowski’s approach is an incredible example of the belief in bipartisan policymaking that runs deep in Alaska. “It’s all about making sure that we’ve got the best policy, not for Republicans, not for Democrats, but the best policy for the people in this country,” she asserted.
Though she often considered a moderate foil to Trump, Murkowski has always approached the politics around her with a shrewd political cunning. She recalled an incident with Senator Collins regarding their votes against party lines: “Susan and I did smile wryly about the laurels he received for that one vote – which came only after the two of us had already taken the heat for many days for standing up against the party on our own.”
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) looks back on two decades in the Senate in her new memoir. She brings to life the struggles and successes in moving through a treacherous political landscape. Her passion for preserving the Constitution and commitment to working in a bipartisan way lives on in the halls of Congress today.