Sen. Lisa Murksowski (R-AK) is getting extra special attention for her decision to look out for her state's citizens and vote against the motion to proceed to the Affordable Care Act repeal fiasco. When a Wednesday morning Twitter attack from popular vote loser Donald Trump left the senator completely unfazed, Trump and team realized they'd have to up the threat level. By threatening both of Alaska's senators that her opposition could have repercussions for the state.
[Wednesday] afternoon, each of Alaska's two Republican senators had received a phone call from Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke letting them know the vote had put Alaska's future with the administration in jeopardy. […]
Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan said the call from Zinke heralded a "troubling message."
"I'm not going to go into the details, but I fear that the strong economic growth, pro-energy, pro-mining, pro-jobs and personnel from Alaska who are part of those policies are going to stop," Sullivan said. […]
Sullivan said the Interior secretary was clear that his message was in response to the no vote Murkowski cast Tuesday on the motion to proceed with debate on the House-passed health care legislation.
Murkowski, as head of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee in the Senate, is arguably a more powerful player for her state on energy issues than Trump could be. She also won reelection on a write-in vote, after teaching Alaskans how to spell her name properly for their votes to count. Murkowski has no reason to fear for her job.
And Trump just made an enemy of one more senator—Sullivan. Republican senators are already pissed at his ongoing war on one of their former own—Jeff Sessions. This attack isn't going to help the short-fingered vulgarian much in winning new friends there.
