I’ve done focus groups with Alaskan Republican voters and they are definitely not happy with Murkowski’s impeachment vote. But even while they criticized her for it, they were also steeped in the granular details of her committee assignments and accomplishments in the Senate. One man from Anchorage summarized it best: “Alaska is a small state. We have limited representation in D.C., and that’s how we vote. It doesn’t matter if you agree with the majority of things.”

That’s exactly what Murkowski’s campaign wants to hear.

Tshibaka will lean into being a Trump loyalist. She is already claiming that Murkowski “abandoned” Alaskans with her impeachment vote and is promising “‘America First’ leadership in the Senate.” Surely this will make Twitter Republicans very excited. But it also makes her sound like the GOP version of Sara Gideon, banging on about national politics instead of focusing on brick-and-mortar state issues.

The obvious response from Murkowski should be touting her “Alaska First” leadership.