A group of about 75 people stood in front of Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s office in downtown Anchorage on Thursday morning holding signs. One person carried an Alaska flag. From a distance, it looked like it might have been another protest. While that wasn’t the case, the group streamed into the building with a message for Murkowski.
They crowded into her office in the Peterson Towers to sing Happy Birthday to Murkowski, who watched on a Zoom call from her office in Washington D.C., where her staff had given her flowers, cards, and a cake with candles.
Organizers of Murkowski's Alaska birthday greeting were a mix of Democrats and Republicans, who said they wanted to do something that was fun and non-political, but also wanted to show their appreciation for her work. Murkowski has faced criticism for voting independently from her Republican colleagues.
Murkowski told the gathering, “You don’t know how much this means to me. I am overwhelmed with pleasure and delight.”
The Senator surprised the group, when she said, “You’ll never guess who is here on my sofa?”
The crowd applauded when former Representative Mary Peltola bobbed onto the screen.
Peltola, a Democrat, now works at a lobbying firm. The two have been longtime friends.
Murkowski turned 68 on Thursday. She says she's planning to travel to Alaska this week with stops in Haines, Wrangell, Delta Junction and other communities.
