Alaska Senator's endorsement highlights small but growing cross-party support in midterms
While experts caution that swing voters constitute a minor fraction of the electorate, candidates in key states are actively courting opponents' former leaders to close tight races.
By Aiko Nakamura ·
Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski endorsed Democratic Alaska gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins on Tuesday, marking one of several high-profile cross-party endorsements during this midterm cycle. Kreiss-Tomkins has publicized the support as part of a broader strategy to attract voters who typically identify with the opposing party.
Similar moves are underway in other competitive states. In Kansas, former Republican governors Bill Graves and Mike Hayden announced in September and October, respectively, that they are backing Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Adam Hamilton. In Texas, the campaign for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico stated that more than two dozen former GOP officials have joined the endorsement list.
This week, Kel Seliger, a former GOP state senator, added his name to Talarico's list, choosing the Democrat over Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton. Seliger explained his decision by noting his past service with both men. He described Talarico as honest and frank, adding that he believes Talarico will prioritize the interests of Texas over those of Elon Musk.
Republican Party officials have noted that their candidates are also seeing crossover support. Natalie Baldassarre, the national press secretary for the RNC, cited the Michigan Senate race between Mike Rogers and Abdul El-Sayed, as well as the Texas contest. She pointed to the existence of the campaign coalition 'Democrats for Mike Rogers' as evidence of this trend.
Political scientists suggest that while these endorsements generate attention, their practical impact on final vote counts is often limited. Joshua Blank, the research director for the Texas Politics Project, stated that cross-party voting usually involves an idiosyncratic behavior found among a small share of the electorate rather than a large group of voters switching sides.
Blank noted that if the elections remain close, these small shifts could influence the final results. Recent polling indicates that several midterm races have tightened recently, with some contests now statistically tied. Candidates continue to promote their bipartisan support in the final days before the November election.
Source: WBRC FOX6
