[GiveEmDubya]

So in other words, if it's a two-way race, Lisa can kiss her seat goodbye. Gotcha. I'm more concerned about the general election though. I don't know about Knowles' record, is he a liberal or not?

[JohnnyZ]

I dunno, but I'll make something up:

Yes, he's basically liberal. Might be pro-gun. I think he's pro-ANWR. Pro-abortion, etc. Probably doesn't talk about that kind of stuff much. Squeaked by in two elections for governor, once against a poor opponent.

[fieldmarshaldj]

He's VERY liberal, and will move even further left if elected to the Senate. I believe he has to be the luckiest son of a bitch in Alaska politics since statehood. Had a GOP opponent in '94 who was expected to win easily, but took a shot at Knowles that because he had "good hair" meant he was sleeping around, and Knowles pulled out a narrow win. In '98 when he should've easily lost, the GOP shot themselves in the foot when a man named Lindauer bought the nomination and we were forced to disown him and run a write-in candidate (with Lindauer still on the ballot), and Knowles won handily (with a majority of the vote).

I personally cannot believe how politically stupid it was for Frank Murkowski to appoint his kid (regardless if she had won on her own accord to the legislature) to his seat. He could've at least appointed Ted Stevens's boy, Ben, also a state legislator, to avoid the nepotism charge. Sarah Palin was the only logical choice for that seat, and Murkowski's arrogance in not appointing her could end up costing us next year. I still think Frank is going to pull out all the stops to help his daughter hold the seat, but if she faces a seriously contested primary that she ekes a narrow win out of, it's not going to be pretty to watch in the fall, and knowing Knowles's luck, once he's in, we may not be able to get him out until he buys the farm.

[RightWhale]

I don't know about Knowles' record, is he a liberal or not?

He is known as Tony Clinton. As complete a Liberal as there is.