John Cornyn Warns Lisa Murkowski She Could Lose Leadership Role If She Stays In Senate Race

Sen. John Cornyn, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee has issued a clear warning to Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), telling her that she risks losing her party leadership role if she goes through with recent plans to run for reelection as a write-in candidate, Politico reports.

"It's hard to see how you stay as part of the Republican leadership if you are no longer running as a Republican," Cornyn said according to Politico. "I think that's pretty much the end of that."

Sen. Murkowski currently serves as the vice chairwoman NRSC and has more than $1 million in funds potentially available to her if she remains on the ballot in November.

On Wednesday, Fox News reported that Murkowski is strongly considering running as a write-in candidate after her shocking loss in the GOP primary to Tea Party-backed Joe Miller. Murkowski had sought to run as a Libertarian third-party candidate, but the Alaska Libertarian Party rejected her candidacy last month, saying that her voting record disqualified her from that party affiliation.

Despite a temporary period of animosity between then-candidate Joe Miller and the NRSC, Sen. Cornyn was resolute in his backing of the man who toppled Murkowski.

"The nominee is Joe Miller," Cornyn said, according to Politico.