Jackson Vote Poses a Political Dilemma for Murkowski

When President Biden nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to a prestigious appeals court last year, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, a centrist known for her willingness to break with her party, was one of only three Republicans to vote to confirm her.

Now Ms. Murkowski, who is in a challenging re-election race in the state she has represented for two decades, faces a difficult political predicament as she weighs whether to support Judge Jackson’s confirmation to the Supreme Court, joining Democrats in backing the first Black woman to serve there.

The two other Republicans who supported Judge Jackson for her current post have come down on opposite sides of the question. Senator Susan Collins of Maine said on Wednesday that she would vote to confirm Judge Jackson, calling her qualified and experienced. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said on Thursday that he would oppose the judge, calling her a liberal judicial activist.

That leaves Ms. Murkowski, who says she is still undecided, and who is among a small but dwindling group of Republicans whom the White House regards as prime targets to support Judge Jackson.