Murkowski Backs Kreiss-Tomkins

Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski endorsed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins in Alaska on Tuesday. The move signals a strategy in several key states where candidates are soliciting support from the opposing party during the final days of the campaign.

Democratic officials in Kansas and Texas have also gathered cross-party backing. In Kansas, former Republican governors Bill Graves and Mike Hayden announced support for Democratic Senate candidate Adam Hamilton in September and October. In Texas, the campaign for Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico reported that more than two dozen former GOP officials have endorsed him.

Kel Seliger, a former GOP state senator, joined Talarico's endorsement list this week rather than backing Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton. Seliger said he has worked with both men and views Talarico as honest and direct. "I think he's going to be frank and direct," Seliger said. "I think that the things that he does are going to be what is best for Texas. Not what's best for Elon Musk."

Republican Party officials claim similar crossover support for their candidates. Natalie Baldassarre, the national press secretary for the Republican National Committee, pointed to the Michigan race between Mike Rogers and Abdul El-Sayed. She also cited the coalition "Democrats for Mike Rogers" as evidence that voters are crossing party lines in this election cycle.

Joshua Blank, Research Director for the Texas Politics Project, cautioned that these endorsements may not shift outcomes. He noted that cross-party voting usually involves a small share of the electorate rather than a large bloc. "We're ultimately talking about what are kind of idiosyncratic behaviors they're going to take place among a small, small share of the electorate," Blank said.

Blank added that the factor could matter if races are close. Recent polling indicates several midterm contests have tightened, with some now statistically tied.