Around 12 hours later, after she had convinced Senate leaders to change the bill to benefit her state and voted for the legislation, ensuring its passage, Murkowski said the last day had been “probably the most difficult and agonizing legislative 24-hour period that I have encountered.

Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski stared down a reporter in a tense exchange that quickly went viral on social media, after she had voted in favor of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and domestic policy bill on July 1.

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