President Trump launched a blistering attack on Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Alaska's ranked-choice voting system over the weekend, escalating a feud that has drawn the Department of Justice into the state's Senate race.
In a late-night post on Truth Social, Trump labeled Murkowski "The Republicans' Worst Senator, by far," and claimed she only won reelection because of "Corrupt Ranked Choice Voting." He went on to call the system "a TOTAL DEMOCRAT SCAM meant to confuse the Voter," and said the ballot design could cost Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) votes to a political newcomer.
"Lisa Murkowski is a DISGRACE to Alaska and our Country. You just don't get any worse!" Trump added in a follow-up post.
The president's remarks came just one day after he confirmed that he personally directed the Department of Justice to file a lawsuit seeking to block certification of Alaska's Senate election if Sullivan loses. The DOJ filed the suit on Thursday, arguing that the presence of a candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan—a separate individual from the senator—on the November ballot could confuse voters and lead to an invalid win for Democrat Mary Peltola.
"I'm the one who said do it," Trump told reporters on Friday, taking credit for the unprecedented legal intervention.
Murkowski, who has long been a target of Trump's ire, responded sharply on X, saying, "Alaskans don't need any help voting for their preferred candidates, and the State of Alaska has already handled this by clearly distinguishing the candidates on this year's ballot." She added, "The Department of Justice should never have filed this lawsuit."
The dispute centers on Alaska's top-four primary system, which sends the four highest vote-getters to the general election. The November ballot will feature both Daniel J. Sullivan and Sen. Dan Sullivan, but the senator will be labeled "incumbent" and "Republican" to differentiate them. State officials have said the distinction is sufficient.
Trump's attacks on Murkowski are part of a broader pattern of targeting Republican critics. His decision to involve the DOJ in a state election has raised concerns about federal overreach, even among some conservatives. The lawsuit is unlikely to block certification, according to legal analysts, but it has already injected further chaos into an already contentious midterm cycle.
Murkowski, who voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial, has faced repeated primary challenges from the right. She survived the 2022 ranked-choice election, but Trump's continued focus on her suggests he intends to make her a central figure in his post-election political battles.
The DOJ's move has also drawn attention to the broader debate over ranked-choice voting, which has been adopted in several states and cities. Critics argue it confuses voters, while supporters say it promotes consensus candidates. Trump's characterization of the system as a "scam" aligns with his broader attacks on election integrity, which have become a staple of his rallies and social media posts.
As the midterms approach, the Alaska Senate race has become a flashpoint for national political tensions, with Trump vowing to intervene if Sullivan loses. Murkowski, for her part, has shown no signs of backing down, positioning herself as a defender of Alaska's electoral process against what she calls federal overreach.
