kibitzer wrote:
learn more wrote:
Lisa Murkowski might flip to Independent or Democrat.
...Which, in a closely divided Senate, would put her in a commanding position. No GOPer is going to chair a Senate committee; an independent, if deemed sufficiently tractable by the Dems (e.g. Bernie Sanders), might.
If she wants to have influence in the Senate for her Alaskan constituents--which, practically speaking, means: if she wants to be re-elected--then declaring herself an independent could be a smart move.
...Particularly if DC gains statehood, making the Senate more solidly Democratic.
You are right. Independent is her best choice. She may try to position herself more like Manchin except not identifying as a Republican and being conservative but not as much.