Notes: Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R) defeated Trump-backed former Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Administration Kelly Tshibaka (R) and educator Pat Chesbro (D).  Retired union mechanic Buzz A. Kelley (R), fourth place finisher in the top-four primary, bowed out of the race on Sept. 12 and endorsed Tshibaka.  Murkowski finished ahead but under 50-percent in the Nov. 8 results and then won the election in the Nov. 23 ranked choice results (+).

Murkowski participated in six debates and forums:

Sept. 1 - all three candidates at the Alaska Oil and Gas Association conference at Dena'ina Center in Anchorage (>);

Sept. 13 - all three candidates (Murkowski remotely) at the Southeast Conference annual meeting in Ketchikan (>);

Oct. 4 - Murkowski and Chesbro at the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce fisheries forum at the Gerald C. Wilson Auditorium in Kodiak (>);

Oct. 10 - all three candidates at the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce candidate forum (>);

Oct. 21 - all three candidates at Alaska Federation of Natives candidate forum at Dena'ina Center in Anchorage;
 
Oct. 27 - all three candidates hosted by Alaska Public Media, Alaska's News Source and KTOO (>).

According to Open Secrets, the Murkowski campaign had a big fundraising advantage.  It reported $11.2 million raised, $10.4 million spent and $878,618 in cash on hand compared to $6.0 million raised, $5.8 million spent and $136,146 cash on hand for Tshibaka and less than $200,000 raised and spent for Chesbro (>).
 
August 16 Top-Four Primary
The 2022 elections are different than in past.  In 2020 Alaska voters approved adoption of a nonpartisan top four primary election and ranked choice voting in the general election (>). Nineteen candidates crowded the Aug. 16 primary ballot.  Murkowski finished first with 45.00% of the vote followed by Tshibaka 38.58%, Chesbro 6.83% and Kelley 2.13%.

Murkowski was appointed to the Senate in Dec. 2002 by her father after he was elected governor, and was elected in 2004, 2010 and 2016.  She voted to convict President Trump during the impeachment trial in Jan. 2021, and this earned Trump's ire and led the Alaska Republican Party to vote to censure her and recruit a primary challenger [PDF] (>).  Murkowski announced she would seek a fourth full term in a Nov. 12, 2021 video, noting that "lower 48 outsiders are going to try to grab Alaska's Senate seat for their partisan agendas (>)."  

Murkowski had the support of the state's junior Sen. Dan Sullivan as well as the NRSC:

“The National Republican Senatorial Committee supports the re-election of Lisa Murkowski as Alaska’s Senior U.S. Senator. She has been a powerful voice for Alaska’s interests. We are laser focused on taking back the Senate majority and stopping the crazy socialist agenda of the Democrats. The NRSC supports and defends our Republican incumbents.”

Tshibaka left her position as Commissioner of Alaska’s Department of Administration on Mar. 29 2021 to run; she previously worked for more than 16 years in the federal government, starting at DOJ, then ODNI, FTC, and USPS (>).  In her announcement video, she sharply criticized DC insiders (>).

Former President Trump endorsed Tshibaka on June 18, 2021:

"Lisa Murkowski is bad for Alaska. Her vote to confirm Biden’s Interior Secretary was a vote to kill long sought for, and approved, ANWR, and Alaska jobs. Murkowski has got to go! Kelly Tshibaka is the candidate who can beat Murkowski—and she will. Kelly is a fighter who stands for Alaska values and America First.  She is MAGA all the way, pro-energy, strong on the Border, tough on Crime and totally supports our Military and our great Vets. Kelly is a powerful supporter of the Second Amendment and JOBS! I look forward to campaigning in Alaska for Kelly Tshibaka. She has my Complete and Total Endorsement!"

On July 9, 2022 Trump held a "Save America" rally in Anchorage with former Gov. Sarah Palin, a candidate in the U.S. House special election, and Tshibaka (>).

The Democratic standard-bearer is Pat Chesbro, a long-time educator, chair of the Mat-Su Democrats and member of the Alaska Democratic Party Executive Committee.  She filed to run on May 11, 2022.  State Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson (Anchorage) had filed to run on Feb. 10, 2022, but ended her campaign on Mar. 28 pointing to the difficulties in raising sufficient funds. 



Campaign Managers:
Lisa Murkowski:  Nate Adams
(leadership team announced Feb. 4, 2022 >)  Director at Target Victory LLC, July-Dec. 2021 and a director at National Victory Action Fund, a Republican grassroots advocacy and fundraising initiative led by former Sen. Cory Gardner.  Press secretary for Sen. Dan Sullivan, Jan.-July 2021.  Communications and digital director for Sen. Sullivan’s re-election campaign, Dec. 2019-Jan. 2021.  Master's degree in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University, 2019; B.B.A. in marketing from University of Alaska Anchorage, 2017.  twitter

Kelly Tshibaka:  Greg Manz
(started June 1, 2022)  Principal at Wytherson Media, LLC from Sept. 2015.  Research and rapid response for Bannon's War Room: Impeachment from Nov. 2019.  Communications advisor for strategy on Donald J. Trump for President, June 2020-Aug. 2021.  Communications director for the Republican Party of Pennsylvania, Feb. 2017-Feb. 2018.  Communications director on Trump's 2016 campaign in Pennsylvania.  Press secretary on August Wolf for U.S. Senate (CT) to May 2016.  Iowa deputy director on Carson America, Sept. 2015-Feb. 2016.  Graduate of the University of Pennsylvania's Fels Institute of Government, 2014; B.A. in political science from University of New Hampshire, 2011.  twitter

Tshibaka initial campaign manager:  Gina Ritacco
(April 2021-May 2022)  Director of Boards and Commissions in the Dunleavy administration, Nov. 2018-Apr. 2021.  Deputy director of events and scheduling on Alaskans for Dunleavy, Mar-Nov. 2018.  Legislative aide to state Sen. Dunleavy, Jan. 2016-Mar. 2018.  Chief of staff to state Sen. Mia Costello, Jan. 2015-Jan. 2016.  Campaign manager on Mia Costello for State Senate, Aug.-Nov. 2014.  Masters degree in political science and government (2016) and B.A. in general history (2012) from American Public University System.