Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski cast a pivotal vote in the Senate's passage of the president's sweeping tax cuts and spending reductions bill on Tuesday

Murkowski defended her vote, pointing to provisions to extend 2017 tax cuts and develop resources in Alaska, while expressing concerns around cuts to Medicaid and SNAP benefits

Just after midnight, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski was pacing in a Senate hallway, alone and looking concerned. It had suddenly become clear to all her Republican colleagues that her vote would be their best chance of passing President Donald Trump’s sweeping bill of tax and spending cuts.