GOP Sen Who Backed Biden Nominees Becomes First Republican To Oppose Pete Hegseth

Republican Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski — who broke with her party on numerous occasions to support former President Joe Biden’s nominees — became the first Republican senator to publicly oppose Pete Hegseth’s nomination to serve as Defense secretary.

Murkowski was one of several Senate Republicans rumored to be potential “no” votes against Hegseth, and she made it official with a Thursday statement making clear that she cannot support his nomination because of character concerns related to Hegseth’s past infidelity and accusations about his drinking habits, among other issues. Murkowski previously voted to back 12 Biden nominees whom most Republicans opposed in 2021, according to Alaska Public Media, and she voted with Biden about 64% of the time in 2023, according to ABC News.

“Although he has recently revised his statements on women in combat since being nominated, I remain concerned about the message that confirming Mr. Hegseth sends to women currently serving and those aspiring to join. Women have served our nation with distinction, overcoming immense obstacles to excel in combat and leadership roles, and they deserve to know that their leader honors and values their commitment to our nation,” Murkowski wrote in a Thursday post on X. “While the allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking do nothing to quiet my concerns, the past behaviors Mr. Hegseth has admitted to, including infidelity on multiple occasions, demonstrate a lack of judgment that is unbecoming of someone who would lead our armed forces. These behaviors starkly contrast the values and discipline expected of servicemembers. Men and women in uniform are held accountable for such actions, and they deserve leaders who uphold these same standards.”

“Above all, I believe that character is the defining trait required of the Secretary of Defense, and must be prioritized without compromise. The leader of the Department of Defense must demonstrate and model the standards of behavior and character we expect of all servicemembers, and Mr. Hegseth’s nomination to the role poses significant concerns that I cannot overlook. Given the global security environment we’re operating in, it is critical that we confirm a Secretary of Defense, however, I regret that I am unable to support Mr. Hegseth,” Murkowski concluded.

While Murkowski says she cannot vote to confirm Hegseth, she voted to back former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, a Biden nominee. In his tenure atop the Pentagon, Austin oversaw the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan and later essentially went missing for several days in January 2024 as he dealt with a medical issue, which he did not inform the White House or his deputy in the Pentagon of prior, according to several reports at the time.

Murkowski also supported former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, another Biden nominee, whose agency proceeded to repeatedly target Alaska’s economy with environmental rules and regulations that significantly interfered with natural resource development.