Iditarod winner King changes mind on Murkowski. One reason? Donald Trump

The Latest on the Alaska U.S. Senate race (all times local):

Noon

Jeff King, a four-time winner of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, is changing political teams when it comes to Alaska's U.S. Senate race.

King earlier this year appeared in a radio ad supporting Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski. But King told The Associated Press Friday he's changed his mind and is now endorsing independent Margaret Stock.

King says he has been dissatisfied with what he sees as the refusal by the state's congressional delegation to stand up to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. He calls Trump an embarrassment.

He cites as other reasons for his decision his unhappiness with Murkowski's position on allowing President Barack Obama to appoint a U.S. Supreme Court nominee. Murkowski had urged Obama to yield that appointment to the next president.

King says he's known Stock personally for years. He cited her work as an attorney and her background in the military as assets for Stock.

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10:55 a.m.

Independent candidate Margaret Stock sees herself as the main competition to Republican incumbent Lisa Murkowski in this fall's U.S. Senate race.

Stock says Congress is dysfunctional because the two major parties are at odds and uncooperative. She says people are frustrated with the status quo.

She says she won't follow the dictates of a national party and will do what's best for Alaska.

Stock says she was previously a Republican but believes the party is no longer in line with her values.

The Democratic party left their nominee, Ray Metcalfe, out of an email celebrating Democrats who won their primaries. Metcalfe has butted heads with party leaders.

Besides Stock and Murkowski, Libertarian Cean Stevens is the only candidate to report raising money, though Murkowski holds a big edge in available cash.

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