Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Alaska's Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy accepted the endorsement of former President Donald Trump under the condition that Dunleavy does not support Sen. Lisa Murkowski for re-election, setting up a high-profile intra-party GOP battle there.
Trump has endorsed former Alaska commissioner of administration Kelly Tshibaka for Murkowski's Senate seat. The race next fall is shaping up to be a proxy war between Trump and Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who is supporting Murkowski.
Murkowski was one of the few Republicans voting to convict Trump after an impeachment hearing earlier this year after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
"Please tell the president thank you for the endorsement. With regard to the other issue, please tell the president he has nothing to worry about," Dunleavy said Thursday, according to CNN.
Trump issued his own statement supporting Dunleavy.
"This is why Mike Dunleavy of Alaska has been and will be a great governor," Trump said Thursday.
Trump initially endorsed Dunleavy on Tuesday with the caveat that he does not back Murkowski.
"He has my complete and total endorsement," Trump said then, according to the Anchorage Daily News. "But this endorsement is subject to his non-endorsement of Sen. Lisa Murkowski who has been very bad for Alaska."
Murkowski, who is from a prominent Alaskan political family, announced earlier she would run for re-election to the Senate.
