Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska declared on Friday, August 7th, 2026, that she will oppose President Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general, Todd Blanche. Murkowski described Blanche as "decent and capable" in a post on X but stated, "Ultimately, however, I will oppose his nomination."

This announcement follows Republican Senator Susan Collins’ statement earlier that week that she would vote against Blanche, leaving the nominee with a narrow margin for confirmation.

Blanche, currently serving as acting attorney general, secured support from Republican senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis by pledging in writing that Trump’s $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund was terminated and that a related tax-immunity deal applied only to past tax returns. Both agreements stem from a settlement of Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS.

In related developments, President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday evening aimed at ensuring the commercial viability of U.S. production of polysilicon and its derivatives, critical for meeting economic and national security needs.

Political shifts are also noted in voter demographics, with an Associated Press estimate indicating 71% of voters in a key district are new and the district now leans Republican. Additionally, 60% of independents support government-provided healthcare coverage for all Americans, a policy promoted by progressives including Michigan US Senate nominee El-Sayed as "Medicare for all."

These events come shortly after the US Supreme Court struck down a previous Trump order denying birthright citizenship to children of non-citizens, a right protected since the 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868.

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