Will Murkowski endorse anyone in the AK senate race?

[ProgressiveModerate]

Murkowski has had a very independent streak in the senate, and has had her quarrels with Republican leadership. She seems to be one of the few Republicans willing to buck her party and work for the people that she represents, and not fear a tweet by the president. She tends to avoid the national spotlight, unlike her buddy, Susan Collins. She has run as an independent before, and she ran to the right of a notable Libertarian canidate in 2016. Sullivan is to the right of Murkowski, but has the Republican label like her. Gross is probably slightly to the left of Murkowski, but is running as an independent like she has in the past. Many of the counties Gross will probably win are counties the rural counties that Murkowski has won time and again. I feel like this is one of the few senate races where it's at the very least remotely possible that a sitting senator endorses a canidate from a different party. Most likely, I think she'll avoid the question, and maybe give a light endorsement of Sullivan, but I cant say that with 100% confidence. If she were to endorse Gross, it would certainly shake up this race quite a bit.

[VAR]

In 2014, she said, “Alaska needs Dan Sullivan.” In the same year, she said this of Sullivan’s opponent: “It is Mark (Begich) who keeps trying to latch onto me.” Begich’s ads were falsely implying that Murkowski endorsed him.

Also, Murkowski and Sullivan are doing town halls together, which isn’t very common. She’ll definitely endorse him.

I wonder who Angus King will endorse. He endorsed Susan Collins in 2014.

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

She will endorse her fairly uncontroversial Senate colleague as a defence against Republicans crying foul if and when she fails to endorse Trump and/or Dunleavy.

[Cowboys for Christ]

In 2014, she said, “Alaska needs Dan Sullivan.” In the same year, she said this of Sullivan’s opponent: “It is Mark (Begich) who keeps trying to latch onto me.” Begich’s ads were falsely implying that Murkowski endorsed him.

Also, Murkowski and Sullivan are doing town halls together, which isn’t very common. She’ll definitely endorse him.

I wonder who Angus King will endorse. He endorsed Susan Collins in 2014.

King will probably not endorse either candidate or endorse Gideon.

Collins didn't even bother to extend an endorsement to King in 2018 over his joke opponent, State Senator Pepperoni Nipples. Collins being a lightning rod of ire over the Trump years instead of the "moderate hero" she was before also makes it less enticing for King to endorse her, especially considering how Collins is not guaranteed to win as she was in 2014.

Furthermore, King did not commit to caucusing with the Democrats after the 2014 elections - but if he decided to stay with the Senate Democrats in the minority, he is effectively a de facto Democrat. It is expected that he would support the expansion of the caucus, especially when Republican control of the Senate is not the most popular thing in Maine - why attach yourself to an unpopular cause, and upset most of your base?

Overall, King's likelihood of endorsements is No Endorsement > Gideon > Collins.

[Badger]

In 2014, she said, “Alaska needs Dan Sullivan.” In the same year, she said this of Sullivan’s opponent: “It is Mark (Begich) who keeps trying to latch onto me.” Begich’s ads were falsely implying that Murkowski endorsed him.

Also, Murkowski and Sullivan are doing town halls together, which isn’t very common. She’ll definitely endorse him.

I wonder who Angus King will endorse. He endorsed Susan Collins in 2014.

King will probably not endorse either candidate or endorse Gideon.

Collins didn't even bother to extend an endorsement to King in 2018 over his joke opponent, State Senator Pepperoni Nipples. Collins being a lightning rod of ire over the Trump years instead of the "moderate hero" she was before also makes it less enticing for King to endorse her, especially considering how Collins is not guaranteed to win as she was in 2014.

Furthermore, King did not commit to caucusing with the Democrats after the 2014 elections - but if he decided to stay with the Senate Democrats in the minority, he is effectively a de facto Democrat. It is expected that he would support the expansion of the caucus, especially when Republican control of the Senate is not the most popular thing in Maine - why attach yourself to an unpopular cause, and upset most of your base?

Overall, King's likelihood of endorsements is No Endorsement > Gideon > Collins.

You give good reasons as to why King won't endorse Collins, and I agree. However, as I just asked in another thread, what are the odds he will endorse Gideon? I know he Prides himself on his independence, but would that be enough for him to stay neutral when, as you noted, he is a de facto Democrat.

[MarkD]

Who cares?!? Endorsements are not worth a thimble full of spit, to quote Mitt Romney (again). What percentage of Alaska voters are going to be influenced by an endorsement from Murkowski?

[Coldstream]

Who cares?!? Endorsements are not worth a thimble full of spit, to quote Mitt Romney (again). What percentage of Alaska voters are going to be influenced by an endorsement from Murkowski?

I don’t disagree, but given Begich tried to make it look like Murkowski endorsed him in 2014 doesn’t that suggest that he at least felt some voters would care?

[Penn_Quaker_Girl]

In 2014, she said, “Alaska needs Dan Sullivan.” In the same year, she said this of Sullivan’s opponent: “It is Mark (Begich) who keeps trying to latch onto me.” Begich’s ads were falsely implying that Murkowski endorsed him.

Also, Murkowski and Sullivan are doing town halls together, which isn’t very common. She’ll definitely endorse him.

I wonder who Angus King will endorse. He endorsed Susan Collins in 2014.

King will probably not endorse either candidate or endorse Gideon.

Collins didn't even bother to extend an endorsement to King in 2018 over his joke opponent, State Senator Pepperoni Nipples. Collins being a lightning rod of ire over the Trump years instead of the "moderate hero" she was before also makes it less enticing for King to endorse her, especially considering how Collins is not guaranteed to win as she was in 2014.

Furthermore, King did not commit to caucusing with the Democrats after the 2014 elections - but if he decided to stay with the Senate Democrats in the minority, he is effectively a de facto Democrat. It is expected that he would support the expansion of the caucus, especially when Republican control of the Senate is not the most popular thing in Maine - why attach yourself to an unpopular cause, and upset most of your base?

Overall, King's likelihood of endorsements is No Endorsement > Gideon > Collins.

It also helps that King was a Democrat before he became an independent (as opposed to being a Republican and then becoming an independent). 

Indies in Congress are always fascinating to me.  Had Greg Orman beaten Pat Roberts for KS-SEN 2014, I wonder with whom he would have more consistently caucused.