Senior U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski Won't Be Up for Re-Election Anytime Soon

On Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025, Senator Lisa Murkowski said that she does not support Pete Hegseth's nomination as President Donald Trump's secretary of defense. In a detailed statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), she criticized Hegseth's behaviors, saying they "starkly contrast" with the standards expected of military leadership.

She also pointed to his previous remarks about women not being suited for combat roles, though Hegseth tried to walk back those comments during his confirmation process.

As speculation grows, many are now wondering: When is Sen. Lisa Murkowski up for re-election? Here's what we know.

According to the official United States Senate website, Lisa Murkowski is up for re-election in the November 2028 general election. Murkowski is part of the Class II term, which runs from the beginning of the 118th Congress on Jan. 3, 2023, to the end of the 120th Congress on Jan. 3, 2029.

This means that in just a few years, voters will decide whether the Republican senator will continue her Senate service or if her seat will be up for grabs. However, with increasing interest in her re-election, there's speculation that Murkowski could be at risk of losing support, especially from Trump and Hegseth's backers who are unhappy with her decision to oppose Hegseth's nomination for secretary of defense.

But, of course, that's all speculation. There’s no confirmation that Murkowski will lose her seat — the only thing that's certain is that she will not be supporting Hegseth.

In fact, she pointed to issues like infidelity, "allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking," and Hegseth's "lack of judgment," which she believes makes him unfit to lead the armed forces.

Whether he gets confirmed as secretary of defense remains to be seen, but Pete Hegseth already has at least one vote against him.