Trump Ally Preparing Senate Run Against Murkowski: Report
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy is preparing to launch a 2028 bid for the U.S. Senate, setting up a high-stakes challenge against incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski, multiple sources confirmed to Fox News this week.
If he enters the race, Dunleavy would take on Murkowski — a lawmaker who has long clashed with President Donald Trump and is widely considered one of the most liberal Republicans in Congress. In sharp contrast, Dunleavy has stood firmly with Trump since 2016, making him a favorite among conservatives and MAGA voters.
“He’s not going to quit his term,” a source close to Dunleavy, who previously worked with him in Juneau, told Fox News Digital, noting the governor intends to complete his tenure before pursuing higher office.
The last Alaska governor to step down mid-term was Sarah Palin, who resigned in 2009. “She never recovered,” the source said, underscoring that Dunleavy plans to avoid the same fate.
Known for steering clear of D.C. theatrics while delivering results at home, Dunleavy has built a reputation as a no-nonsense leader. “He’s not about an ego and pushing himself in front of the cameras. He gets stuff done,” the source explained. “He doesn’t like the cocktail parties and photo ops.”
Even so, those close to him acknowledge he recognizes the importance of serving in Washington. While he has joked that he prefers Alaska’s rugged terrain to “all this concrete” in D.C., he understands that federal leadership is essential to advancing Alaskan priorities.
Dunleavy was the second governor nationwide to endorse Trump in 2016 and has remained one of the most frequent visitors to the White House despite Alaska’s 3,500-mile distance. “Trump has talked to him before about running and wants him to run,” the source said.
His close alignment with President Trump was on display again in August, when Dunleavy attended the president’s high-profile meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage.
Although winning as a Republican in Alaska has historically been a challenge, observers say Dunleavy is no ordinary candidate. “A lot of people have mentioned this (race) to him and … I think it is a very viable option for him,” another source told Fox News Digital.
“Obviously there are a lot of frustrations with Sen. Murkowski,” the source added, pointing to her long history of bucking conservatives and her tense relationship with Trump. “Gov. Dunleavy has been not only a successful governor, but a strong ally for him. So it’s only natural that he’d be hearing that from Alaskans — but also from folks in the broader MAGA movement.”
Dunleavy, like Murkowski, has succeeded under Alaska’s controversial ranked-choice voting system, which critics argue benefits Democrats. Unlike previous conservative challengers, however, Dunleavy enjoys broad support — including in Native communities across rural Alaska, where he has emphasized energy independence, infrastructure investment, and educational opportunities.
“Murkowski has never faced a challenger like him,” one source said. “He’s built support that goes beyond just conservatives.”
A top Alaska political analyst echoed that assessment. “Conservatives would welcome an opportunity to unseat Murkowski,” the analyst said Thursday. “The fact that Trump and Murkowski have had such a strained relationship and Dunleavy and the president (have) a good relationship is really what has led us to this point.”
Murkowski, the daughter of former Gov. Frank Murkowski, has shown remarkable political survival skills in the past — including her stunning 2010 write-in victory after losing a GOP primary. Still, analysts warn that Dunleavy represents the most formidable threat of her career.
The 2028 Senate race is already shaping up as a defining clash between two political heavyweights: Murkowski, the entrenched moderate whose record has repeatedly infuriated conservatives, and Dunleavy, the Trump-aligned governor with grassroots momentum and cross-community appeal.