Alaska Senate Debate. Who won Alaska’s Senate debate?

Murkowski faces Tshibaka and Chesbro in Alaska Senate debate

The Alaska Senate debate on Thursday evening provided an opportunity for people to hear from U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Kelly Tshibaka, all Republicans, and Democrat Pat Chesbro, as the Senate majority is at stake.

She also stated that she would support any bipartisan proposal that contains a provision that allows healthcare workers to object to performing abortions on religious or moral grounds.

Tshibaka, a Trump-backed Republican, took a different approach, calling for a statewide ban on abortions during the second trimester, or when an unborn child feels pain.

She termed Democrats’ until-birth abortion policy “radical,” and said abortion legislation should make birth contraception more accessible.

Chesbro, the sole Democrat on the stage, said the federal government should have no say in the procedure.

“I really am pro-choice at the discretion of the individual – not anyone else. We need to let people make the decision on their own,” she said.

The candidates were also questioned on their trust in voting methods and how to improve voter confidence in elections.

Tshibaka advocated for systems based on the state that foster “transparency and accountability.” She also stated her opposition to any attempt to allow for the “federalization of voting methods.”

The Republican challenger specifically stated that signature verification would give voters “greater trust” in elections.

Chesbro stated that she “voted yesterday” and was “impressed with the individuals at the polling stations.”

“I am wary of things we hear around the country of people intimidating people,” she added. “We need to make sure people have faith in the system.”

Elections, according to Murkowski, “must be a cornerstone of what we believe in,” and they must be “fair, transparent, free, and accessible.”

The candidates were asked about the ongoing House inquiry, which began on January 6, and if former President Donald Trump, who was subpoenaed by the committee, should be forced to testify. They were also questioned if Trump had committed any crimes.

Chesbro spoke first, stating Trump should testify but not specifying whether or not he broke the law.

“I think he should testify,” she said. “The way to establish your innocence is to testify.”

“I have no idea if he broke the law,” Chesbro added. “The American citizens need to hear from him. Yes, he should testify,” she reiterated.

Murkowski, who voted to convict Trump on counts of “incitement of insurrection” in connection with the Jan. 6 incident, said Trump should “accept [the subpoena] and testify.”

“I doubt that he will,” she added. “When a subpoena is issued to a former president, it is not done lightly.”

Despite her previous vote, Murkowski stopped shy of claiming Trump committed a crime.

“I think the process will determine [if he committed a crime],” she said. “I think this is something left unfinished in the minds of so many in this country.”

Tshibaka disagreed, questioning the legitimacy of the subpoena and casting doubt on Trump’s accountability in the same way that those who stormed the Capitol were.

“The legality of the subpoena is being determined in the courts. The people who broke into the capitol should be held accountable,” she said.

Tshibaka also claimed that Alaskan voters are unconcerned about Trump or the Jan. 6 protests since she hasn’t heard anything about it on the campaign trail.

Concerning climate change and Typhoon Merbok, which destroyed portions of Western Alaska with severe winds and flooding, the candidates agreed that more should be done to protect vulnerable populations.

“I wish there was an easy answer. The damage breaks your heart,” Murkowski responded.

Tshibaka followed up: “Obviously, it’s devastating, and we are at risk of more of this kind of damage.”

Chesbro has joined: “I believe we have the ability to create more robust houses. We need to aid people, and we need to do it quickly.”

Candidates could ask their opponents questions at various moments during the discussion. Following the answer, the person who posed the question was given the opportunity to respond, and a third candidate was also requested to weigh in on the matter.

Murkowski was the first to ask a question, and she asked Tshibaka to defend her critique of infrastructure legislation signed into law by Biden.

“How can you deny the benefits of the bill to Alaska?” the incumbent asked.

Tshibaka referenced the Wall Street Journal editorial board in labelling the measure a “bait and switch,” and claimed the Biden administration was still hiding money through regulatory barriers.

“We can no longer wait for infrastructure development,” she added.

Murkowski stated that the whole Alaska delegation supported the proposal and that funding will continue to be provided.

Tshibaka later returned the favour, asking Murkowski why, after campaigning against “dark money” being used by “outsiders” in the “lower 48” to influence Alaska elections, she was now a recipient of such money: “Why are you beholden to outside dark money?”

“This could not be further from the truth,” Murkowski interjected. “We recognize there are outside groups weighing in. They are weighing in on my campaign, your campaign and a host of campaigns.”

She added: “As a candidate, we cannot control that. It might be frustrating, but we can’t control that.”

Tshibaka retorted that the money shifts Murkowski’s devotion away from Alaska voters and toward Washington, D.C.

“I believe we all understand how D.C. operates,” she remarked. “You owe them favours when they come in and assist you keep your Senate seat.”

“We want a public servant, not a politician,” she continued.

Chesbro stated that campaign funds in general should be scrutinised.

Nobody owns me. Lots of individuals give me money, but I think money is a problem in races across the country. If you don’t have money, sometimes, you can’t get your voice out there,” she said.

Candidates also answered questions about transgender rights, gun violence, rising gas prices, salmon and snow crab fisheries, the Supreme Court, and climate change on social media and by video.

Chesbro stated that she would “look at limiting gun violence in a different approach” when it came to gun rights and gun ownership.

“We have a suicide problem,” she continued. “Let’s keep our guns secure and locked up so that folks don’t have to make this decision soon.”

Murkowski cited gun violence in schools and stated that additional monies should be directed toward schools without “making them into fortresses.”

Instead, Tshibaka argued for “increased financing for school counsellors.”

“I am not in favour of imposing extra limitations on law-abiding persons,” she continued.

In addition, the applicants were asked to rate the country’s reaction to the coronavirus outbreak.

Murkowski began by saying: “We get an A for how rapidly we created a vaccine. I gave Alaska a very high mark to ensure that everyone understood what we were dealing with for COVID and the need of being vaccinated.”

“I think we failed in terms of a national response,” she added. “I believe we can and should do better.”

Tshibaka emphasised the penalty faced by employees, including members of the military, who objected to obtaining the vaccine and were sacked or forced to take leave.

“We must respect service personnel’ constitutional rights. I’d like to introduce legislation requiring them to recover their income, retirement, and benefits “She stated.

According to the country’s lone Democrat, schooling coordination for children is particularly “ineffective.” Months of remote schooling were “chaotic,” she said, because teachers and pupils were unprepared to teach or study from a distance.

Each contender was quizzed on United States Supreme Court nominations and the confirmation process.

Murkowski described the process as “broken,” claiming that her colleagues in the Senate were not properly scrutinising the applicants. “We need to get back to genuinely analysing these nominees’ qualifications,” she remarked.

“We are evaluating them based on who the president appointed,” she said, accusing both parties of acting as a “automatic rubber stamp or bottleneck.”

Tshibaka stated unequivocally that she will support “constitutionalist Supreme Court nominees regardless of who appoints them.”

Later in the debate, Tshibaka and Murkowski stated unequivocally that they were opposed to a federal ban on high-powered firearms, while Chesbro stated that she would favour one.

“Criminals will still get these guns even if we make them illegal,” Tshibaka warned.

Chesbro responded: “I favour the prohibition since these guns serve no function other than to kill people. I am opposed to murder.”

Alaska’s News Source, Alaska Public Media, and KTOO hosted the debate.

Alaska Public Media News Director Lori Townsend and Alaska’s News Source Managing Editor Mike Ross moderated the discussion.