Two interesting points that Fund makes which are important:
“Internal polls taken for her campaign show Fairbanks attorney Joe Miller closing the gap. A new RT Nielson poll also has Ms. Murkowski’s lead down to 47% to 35%. If accurate, it shows Ms. Murkowski below the level of support where an incumbent can be considered safe.”
Murkowski’s own internal polls are showing the race going against her. She has the money to run polls. Someone must have leaked them to the press. I saw the same thing on the Anchorage Daily News Bog today. Someone posted that it was a one point race.
“Ms. Murkowski has outspent her rival by almost 20 to 1, but she has yet to demonstrate a secure grip on a seat that she was appointed to by her father Frank when he was governor in 2002. In 2004, Ms. Murkowski won only 58% against an underfunded challenger in the GOP primary and almost lost to a Democrat that fall.”
Money doesn’t count for much in Alaska. It is not a heavy media state like California or Florida. It is turnout, which means intensity. And as Fund points out, Lisa got only 58% against a no name candidate back in 2004 when her daddy was the governor and before the ethics problems that damaged and eventually destroyed his administration. And she barely edged Tony Knolwes in the General Election in 2004-—a huge GOP year.
Conclusion: Don’t overestimate Lisa Murkowski. She is not a great candidate. The Murkowski brand is much weaker this year. Joe Miller is a great candidate. And he has a major assist from a very formidable force....Sarah Palin.
If you put all those ingredients together, what you get is a Miller win. Don’t be shocked if it happens. Because it is gonna. The stars are all in alignment, in a manner of speaking, for Joe Miller.
THREE POINTER PALIN... THREE POINTER !!!
From your lips to God’s ears