Lisa Murkowski ‘Cannot Live in Fear’ of Trump Primary Threat

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) dismissed President Donald Trump’s threat to primary her on Monday, saying she cannot live in fear of the president’s Twitter account.

Murkowski recently praised former Secretary of Defense James Mattis and his attacks against Trump. Mattis said Trump was the “first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people.”

Murkowski said last week Mattis’ comments were “true, and honest and necessary and overdue.”

Asked by reporters whether she supports the president, she replied, “I am struggling with it [and] I have struggled with it for a long time.”

Murkowski told reporters Monday she continues to stand by her comments and she does not live in fear of the president’s tweets against her.

Murkowski told CNN, “I made the comments that I made. I stand by them. Again, I think it’s important that we have a president who is working to bring people together. … And tone and words matter.”

“I cannot live in fear of a tweet. That’s where I am now,” the Alaska Republican said.

Murkowski’s comments last week enraged the president, to which he promised to campaign against the Alaska senator. He noted Murkowski voted against repealing Obamacare and confirming Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.

The president wrote, “Few people know where they’ll be in two years from now, but I do, in the Great State of Alaska (which I love) campaigning against Senator Lisa Murkowski. She voted against HealthCare, Justice Kavanaugh, and much else…”

He added, “…Unrelated, I gave Alaska ANWR, major highways, and more. Get any candidate ready, good or bad, I don’t care, I’m endorsing. If you have a pulse, I’m with you!”

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), who is up for reelection in 2020, backed Murkowski amid Trump’s threat to primary her.

Asked about the president’s tweet, Cornyn said, “I don’t support that at all.”