Blanche brought Alaska $180 million. He may need Murkowski's vote.

Nearly everything Alaskans buy comes across one dock. The Don Young Port of Alaska handles roughly 90 percent of the goods entering the state, and it needs $2.7 billion to modernize.

On July 7, Todd Blanche flew to Anchorage and announced a $180 million federal settlement ending a long-running lawsuit over the port's failed construction. Mayor Suzanne LaFrance called it "the largest settlement in the municipality's history," and said every dollar would go to construction on the modernization program. Sen. Lisa Murkowski called the outcome great news for Alaska.

Eight days later, Blanche sat down in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee for two days of contentious questioning on his nomination to be attorney general — a job he has held in an acting capacity since April. Republicans pressed him on the Justice Department's $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund and its handling of the Epstein files. With Democrats unified against him and the Republican majority razor-thin, he can afford almost no defections.

Murkowski has not said how she will vote. She has broken with the administration on other nominees, which makes her one of a handful of Republicans whose position could decide the outcome. No floor vote has been scheduled.