The history between former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski runs deep. In 2002, while a member of the state House, Murkowski was appointed by her father, Governor Frank Murkowski, to fill his seat in the U.S. Senate after being elected governor.
The appointment of his daughter was controversial as others eligible to be considered, including future governor Sarah Palin, interviewed for the job. Ms. Murkowski was sworn in in 2003 and has held the seat ever since, being re-elected multiple times.
[Note: In 2006, Palin defeated incumbent Governor Frank Murkowski in the Republican gubernatorial primary and won the general election. In 2008 she became a nationally recognized figure in the party as John McCain’s vice presidential running mate.]
Sen. Murkowski is currently promoting her recently released memoir, ‘Far from Home: An Alaskan Senator Faces the Extreme Climate of Washington, D.C.,’ which highlights her achievements in Washington including working with the first Trump administration to get approval of oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).
The book also emphasizes her ability to get President Joe Biden to green-light what’s known as the Willow project in 2023 “despite his promises not to approve new drilling on federal land and pressure from environmentalists.” The book also mentions her history with Palin.
Palin, a loyal Trump supporter, appeared to criticize Murkowski on social media last week when she shared the video below of a Murkowski interview where she answers to being a so-called Never-Trumper.
Take one for the team, Lisa.
Alaska needs to #DrillBabyDrill & #MineBabyMine for America’s solvency & sovereignty
But for our “leadership”… pic.twitter.com/7bknVYpAcW— Sarah Palin (@SarahPalinUSA) June 21, 2025
During the interview with CBS News’s Norah O’Donnell, who described Murkowski as “a Republican in Washington who has never voted for Donald Trump,” Murkowski confirmed and said: “I have a hard time voting for the lesser of two evils, if you will. I want to be a proactive voter. I want to vote for somebody who I believe in.”
Palin added a layer of text to the video which reads: “Take one for the team, Lisa. – Sarah” with an emoji of an American flag. Palin, whom many credit for coining the term “Drill, baby, drill,” added: “Alaska needs to #DrillBabyDrill & MineBabyMine for America’s solvency & Sovereignty.”
Palin wasn’t specific about the actions she’s asking Murkowski to take, but it’s perhaps notable that Trump’s agenda — in the form of the reconciliation bill — is now with the Senate.
Note: Murkowski has consistently advocated for oil and gas development in Alaska, particularly in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other areas like the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.