Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) speaks during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 28, 2022. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Alaska's Republican Party leaders voted Monday to censure Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) for supporting Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), the Washington Post reports.
The big picture: The move is symbolic with no real consequence but is intended to signal the party's disapproval of McConnell.
- It's also intended to signal to voters to pick Trump-backed Republican candidate Kelly Tshibaka, per the Washington Post.
- The 49-8 vote came after McConnell's leadership political action committee spent $5 million on ads attacking Tshibaka.
Background: Former President Trump said in 2020 that he would endorse "any candidate" with a pulse who runs against Murkowski.
- Murkowski was one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict him over the Jan. 6 attack.
- Tshibaka, who has cast doubt on the results of the 2020 election and vowed not to support McConnell for another term as GOP leader, was endorsed by Trump and Alaska's Republican Party, Axios' Andrew Solender reports.
- Meanwhile, Murkowski, the Republican incumbent, retained the support of the Senate GOP's campaign arm, McConnell and Alaska Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola.