Sen. Lisa Murkowski wins re-election in Alaska, fending off Trump-backed challenge after a ranked-choice runoff

NBC ^

[FarCenter]

Sen. Lisa Murkowski has won re-election in Alaska, dealing former President Donald Trump another loss in what has largely been a miserable midterm cycle for his hand-picked candidates in competitive Senate races.

Murkowski, one of only seven Republicans who voted to convict Trump at his second impeachment trial, survived a challenge from Trump-endorsed Kelly Tshibaka, a former Alaska Department of Administration commissioner, in the state’s first Senate election to be decided by ranked-choice voting.

Rather than limiting voters to one choice, the format allows for candidates to be ranked in order of preference. Neither Murkowski nor Tshibaka, the top two-vote getters in the first round of the Nov. 8 general election, had a majority after first choices were tabulated, triggering runoff rounds Wednesday in which ballots listing eliminated candidates were reallocated to the voter’s next choices.

Murkowski, Tshibaka, Democrat Patricia Chesbro and Republican Buzz Kelley all advanced from a nonpartisan August primary. Kelley later dropped out and endorsed Tshibaka, but he remained on the ballot. Wednesday’s runoff began with the second-choice votes from those who preferred the last-place Kelley being dispersed among the remaining three candidates. Chesbro was eliminated next, and the second-choice votes from her ballots helped put Murkowski over the threshold.

[Rummyfan]

Largely thanks to money sent to her by that schmuck McConnell and the abomination that is RCV. Now we’re stuck with RINO fish-mouth Murkowski for another six years.

[patriot torch]

Another rigged election for the tranny Murkowski. What a surprise

[stanne]

Not “McConnell - backed murkowski”?

[AAABEST]

They just kept counting...again.

[FenwickBabbitt]

We have to “save democracy” and get rid of rank choice voting. It isn’t democracy when the person with the most votes doesn’t win. It’s replacing democracy with math games meant to rig the system for the establishment.

[amnestynone]

I gather this is the last election Alaska has with this ridiculous and disastrous rank choice system.

[AnthonySoprano]

.

Thanks Mitch!

[FamiliarFace]

Yep. Thanks to the turtle!

[Skywise]

No - f-ing way!

[patriot torch]

Next time mad Maxine sends her goon squad after the turtle, I’ll be the voice cheering them on!

[nascarnation]

Who’s behind that ANI outfit out of Texas who spent all the dough to push ranked choice in Alaska?

[AnthonySoprano]

[vpintheak]

Ranked BS voting screws us again.

[OttawaFreeper]

Some very wealthy interests probably did not want Tshibaka in the Senate (along with Masters from AZ and Laxalt from NV) and therefore they gave such orders to McConnell and the others in the Republican ranks.

[vpintheak]

I told a fair amount of FReepers this would happen. Some people attacked me for it. But this ranked choice BS is designed for this. It is designed for the left.

[AnthonySoprano]

[AnthonySoprano]

[AnthonySoprano]

[faithhopecharity]

SH*T!!!!!!

The R party can’t even clean itself of its worst actors — and folks wonder why so many people won’t vote for it??!