Trump-backed Alaska candidate blasts 'so-called Republican' Murkowski for endorsing Dem

By Fox News · Fox News

Alaska Republican gubernatorial candidate Bernadette Wilson said she was not surprised Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, crossed party lines to endorse her Democratic opponent in the governor's race. Wilson told Fox News Digital that Murkowski endorsed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins on Tuesday because the two share similar views on taxation and Alaska's oil industry. "It should not surprise anyone. They're two peas in a pod, and I can tell you that as governor," Wilson told Fox News Digital. FORMER STATE REP TOPS RANKED-CHOICE SLUGFEST AS ALASKA ADVANCES NOMINEES FOR GOVERNOR "It doesn't surprise me that she is supporting the just keep taxing JKT," Wilson continued. "You know the guy that supports an increase in income tax, the guy that wants to double the fuel tax here in Alaska, the guy that has said hey im gonna come after the oil companies, the guy that does not support paying out a full permanent fund dividend." In August, during a candidate forum hosted by the Alaska Oil and Gas Association, Kreiss-Tomkins said he believes "broad-based tax and revenues of that nature are likely going to be necessary to balance our budget." DEM SENATE HOPEFUL VOWS TO UNLEASH ALASKA OIL — BUT HER RECORD TELLS A DIFFERENT STORY Wilson argued that Kreiss-Tomkins' economic policies align with Murkowski's, accusing both politicians of supporting what she described as "socialist policies." The Republican candidate said she has been "sounding the alarm since 2010 about the fact that she was [subscribing] to extreme liberal socialist policies," referring to Murkowski. Wilson also said she would not "assign motive" to Murkowski's decision to endorse Kreiss-Tomkins, though she did not rule out the possibility that the endorsement was intended as a rebuke of President Donald Trump. Trump endorsed Wilson on Oct. 13, days before Murkowski announced her support for Kreiss-Tomkins . Murkowski has opposed several legislative priorities backed by Trump during the 119th…