Lisa Murkowski

Democratic Platform

Democrats support progressive taxation, with higher rates on top earners and corporations to fund public investment. The party favors raising the minimum wage, strengthening unions, and expanding worker protections. Democrats generally support government investment in infrastructure, education, and social programs as drivers of broad economic growth.

Lisa Murkowski

Senator Murkowski is a consistent advocate for Alaska's resource economy, including oil and gas, fishing, and timber. She supported the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (2017) and secured the opening of oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as part of that legislation. She has also backed the bipartisan infrastructure law's provisions directing investment to Alaska's road, energy, and broadband infrastructure.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans favor lower taxes across income levels, with particular emphasis on cutting corporate and capital gains taxes to stimulate investment and job creation. The party supports deregulation, reduced government spending, and free market solutions over federal programs as the primary engine of prosperity.

Democratic Platform

Democrats support expanding access to affordable healthcare, including protecting the Affordable Care Act and moving toward a public option or expanded Medicare coverage. The party broadly favors government negotiation of prescription drug prices and opposes removing protections for pre-existing conditions.

Lisa Murkowski

Senator Murkowski was one of three Republican senators who voted to block the "skinny repeal" of the Affordable Care Act in 2017, citing concerns about coverage losses for Alaskans. She supports preserving protections for pre-existing conditions, has backed reinsurance programs to stabilize insurance markets, and has engaged on rural and tribal healthcare access, which is a critical issue in Alaska's remote communities.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans have generally sought to repeal or significantly reform the Affordable Care Act, favoring market-based solutions. The party supports expanding health savings accounts, increasing competition among insurers across state lines, and reducing federal mandates on coverage requirements.

Democratic Platform

Democrats generally support pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, including DACA recipients, and favor comprehensive immigration reform. The party supports increased resources for legal immigration processing and a humanitarian approach to asylum seekers at the border.

Lisa Murkowski

Senator Murkowski has generally supported bipartisan immigration reform efforts and backed temporary protected status for certain immigrant populations. She has engaged on visa reforms important to Alaska's fishing and seafood processing industries, which rely heavily on seasonal foreign workers, and has backed targeted protections for long-term undocumented residents with deep community ties.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans prioritize border security and strict enforcement of existing immigration law. The party broadly supports completing physical border barriers, ending policies they view as incentivizing illegal entry, and reforming legal immigration to favor applicants with marketable skills.

Democratic Platform

Democrats favor robust federal investment in public K-12 education and higher education, along with policies to reduce or eliminate student loan debt. The party generally opposes using public funds for private school vouchers and supports universal pre-K and affordable childcare.

Lisa Murkowski

Senator Murkowski has been a consistent advocate for Alaska Native education programs and tribal college funding. She supports federal investment in rural schools and has backed career and technical education pathways that prepare Alaskans for jobs in the resource, maritime, and construction industries that form the backbone of Alaska's economy.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans support school choice, including voucher programs for private and religious schools, and local control over curriculum decisions. The party generally opposes federal education mandates and broadly supports parental rights in schooling. Many Republicans oppose student loan forgiveness as unfair to borrowers who repaid their loans.

Democratic Platform

Democrats broadly support stricter gun safety measures, including universal background checks, red flag laws, and restrictions on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines. The party frames these regulations as consistent with the Second Amendment and necessary to reduce mass shootings.

Lisa Murkowski

Senator Murkowski voted for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (2022), which enhanced background checks for buyers under 21, funded state crisis intervention programs, and closed the so-called boyfriend loophole. She generally supports Second Amendment rights, particularly the longstanding traditions of hunting and subsistence use in Alaska, while being willing to support targeted bipartisan safety measures.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans strongly defend Second Amendment rights and generally oppose new gun control legislation, arguing that existing laws should be enforced more effectively. The party emphasizes mental health intervention, the right to self-defense, and opposes what they view as infringement on law-abiding gun owners.

Democratic Platform

Democrats view climate change as an urgent crisis requiring immediate government action. The party supports transitioning to clean energy through federal investment and regulation, reducing carbon emissions across the economy, and meeting international climate commitments. Democrats generally oppose expanding fossil fuel development on public lands.

Lisa Murkowski

Senator Murkowski has acknowledged the scientific consensus on climate change and has noted its severe effects on Alaska, which is warming at roughly twice the global average rate. She supports an energy approach that includes continued development of Alaska's oil and gas resources alongside clean energy investment, and secured ANWR oil exploration rights in the 2017 tax bill. She has backed federal investment in coastal erosion mitigation for Alaska Native villages threatened by rising seas.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans emphasize American energy independence through domestic production of oil, gas, and coal alongside renewable development. Many in the party are skeptical of aggressive climate regulations they argue harm economic growth and jobs. Republicans generally prefer market-based energy solutions over government mandates and oppose restrictions that raise energy costs for families.

Democratic Platform

Democrats generally support a multilateral approach to foreign policy, emphasizing alliances, international institutions, and diplomacy as the first line of engagement. The party broadly supports maintaining NATO commitments, providing aid to democratic allies, and engaging international bodies to address shared challenges.

Lisa Murkowski

Senator Murkowski supports strong U.S. alliances and robust defense spending, particularly given Alaska's strategic location as the closest U.S. state to Russia and a gateway to the Arctic. She voted to convict former President Trump in his second impeachment trial, citing the importance of upholding democratic norms. She has backed continued assistance for Ukraine and NATO commitments.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans emphasize American sovereignty, a strong military as a deterrent, and bilateral relationships over multilateral institutions. The party broadly supports robust defense spending and is skeptical of international agreements they view as constraining American action or requiring open-ended foreign commitments.

Democratic Platform

Democrats oppose cuts to Social Security or Medicare benefits and support expanding both programs. The party generally favors raising the Social Security payroll tax cap on high earners to ensure long-term solvency and opposes any form of privatization.

Lisa Murkowski

Senator Murkowski has opposed benefit cuts to Social Security and Medicare for current and near-term retirees. She has discussed the need for long-term structural reforms to ensure program solvency for younger workers and has backed measures to strengthen healthcare access for Alaska's remote and elderly populations who depend heavily on Medicare.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans support reforming Social Security and Medicare to ensure long-term fiscal solvency, which some in the party argue requires adjusting benefits or eligibility ages. The party opposes tax increases to fund the programs and some members have supported personal investment account options.

Democratic Platform

Democrats broadly support criminal justice reform, including reducing mandatory minimum sentences, addressing racial disparities in policing and incarceration, and investing in community-based alternatives. The party generally supports police accountability measures and evidence-based approaches to reducing recidivism.

Lisa Murkowski

Senator Murkowski supported the First Step Act (2018) and has engaged seriously on criminal justice reform, including addressing the disproportionate representation of Alaska Native peoples in Alaska's criminal justice system. She has backed tribal law enforcement funding and substance abuse treatment programs as complements to traditional enforcement.Source →

Republican Platform

Republicans emphasize law and order, strong support for law enforcement, and tough penalties for crime. The party generally opposes reducing mandatory minimum sentences for violent offenses and supports prosecutors pursuing strong sentences. Republicans broadly oppose policies they view as undermining police authority or creating leniency for criminals.