Sen. Lisa Murkowski responsible for Russian energy crisis, says primary challenger Tshibaka

Republican Alaska Senate candidate Kelly Tshibaka on Thursday criticized her incumbent opponent, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, for contributing to the current energy crisis with Russia by enabling President Joe Biden's 'energy annihilating agenda.'

Sen. Murkowski cast the tie-breaking vote for Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. Murkowski was the only Republican to support the controversial Biden nominee.

"Murkowski had the option of blocking Deb Haaland and fighting her like hell to protect Alaska and America. But she didn't," Tshibaka said Tuesday on "Just the News - Not Noise" with host John Solomon and co-host Amanda Head. 

Haaland has touted the Biden administration's increasing regulations of fossil fuels and support of renewable energy. Directly affecting Alaska, she halted drilling leases in the state's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. 

"It's an Alaska senator's job to fight like hell for our energy resources, our energy independence and Alaskan workers and now our national security. But instead, she let Deb Haaland through," Tshibaka said.

"Deb Holland is the one who's championing this energy annihilating agenda. Don't think for a second, it's about our environment," the primary candidate stated.

Tshibaka defended Alaskan energy as cleaner than fossil fuels from other countries.

"Alaskans produce energy cleaner and greener than Russia, Iraq, Iran and Saudi Arabia, the data all shows it," she said.

Biden has been criticized for transferring considerably cleaner U.S. energy production to dirty overseas manufacturers.

"It's costing me $70 To fill up my minivan. How much more can it go up, Joe?" Tshibaka said.

Murkowski "could have stopped Deb Holland and she didn't," Tshibaka said. "Deb Holland is the one who ushered in this global energy crisis, which has set the stage for Vladimir Putin to have this King of the Mountain approach he does to energy dominance and that is what's going on."

Mainland Alaska is less than 60 miles from mainland Russia, so problems with the Kremlin are literally close to home for the state's residents.

"Alaska is essentially a border state… Instead of drilling for oil, right now we're drilling our troops. We are the frontline of defense for the United States. It's a very sobering, high-tension time in Alaska, as it should be," Tshibaka, whose family immigrated from Russia. 

She stressed that "Russia is an extremely unpredictable country."

Alaskans are taking the threats posed by Russian President Vladimir Putin "seriously," she said, explaining that they are prepared to defend the United States if needed.

"We've known for a long time that Vladimir Putin is capable of doing anything," she said, adding: "We have a very high population of military service personnel and the highest population rate of veterans here in Alaska. We love and support our military troops and we stand ready to protect and defend the United States."