Alaska governor thanks Trump for conditional endorsement

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has accepted a conditional endorsement from former President Donald Trump for his 2022 re-election campaign, a campaign spokesman said Friday.

Trump told Dunleavy earlier this week that he would endorse him on condition that he does not support Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski for re-election. Trump has vowed revenge against Murkowski and other Republican lawmakers who supported his impeachment over the Jan. 6 insurrection. He’s endorsed Murkowski’s primary challenger, Kelly Tshibaka.

“Please tell the President thank you for the endorsement,” a message from Dunleavy said on Trump’s Save America PAC website. “With regard to the other issue, please tell the President he has nothing to worry about. I appreciate all 45 has done for Alaska and this country.”

Andrew Jensen, a spokesperson for Dunleavy’s re-election campaign, confirmed to theAnchorage Daily Newsthat the message was sent by the governor.

“It was a written message from the governor to Trump’s people,” Jensen told the Anchorage newspaper.

Jensen said he didn’t know if the message was meant to be public.

“Even if it was intended to be private, it still is consistent,” Jensen said.