Lt. Gov. Leman's doubts about Lisa Murkowski made public (Rats are smelling victory)

KTUU Channel 2 News ^ | May 17, 2004 | Steve MacDonald

[AlaskaErik]

May 17 - One of Alaska's top elected Republicans says Lisa Murkowski will have a hard time hanging onto her U.S. Senate seat. That's the opinion of Lt. Gov. Loren Leman, whose words surfaced last week on an Internet Web site.

[AlaskaErik]

Gov. Frank Murkowski was our U S Senator from 1980-2002, when he resigned after winning the gubenatorial race. After he was sworn in, he named his daughter, State Rep Lisa Murkowski, to his remaining term in the U S Senate. This was a collossal blunder that caused much resentment statewide and set up the Rat candidate, who was the outgoing governor, for an easy victory. Recently a more conservative candidtate announced he was challanging Lisa Murkowski during the Republican primary. Lisa Murkowski is considered a moderate Republican who favors abortion and was barely relelected to the state house in 2002. She is going to be a very weak candidate and most likely will not win in November. Thus, the Rats will probably pick up one senate seat and Alaska's congressional delegation will have a Rat in DC for the first time since 1980. Damn, that's going to suck!

[AlaskaErik]

The polls say otherwise, I feel that you're talking down to us. You realize that people who're interested in this probably know just as much as you do on this subject.

Most people are clueless about Alaska politics. They think we live in igloos, ride around in dog sled teams and eat whale blubber. I was just trying to give a bit of the background. I see you're from NC. Well, I know virtually nothing about NC politics and suspect most people not from there don't either.

[Koblenz]

It was a real stupid thing to do to pick his daughter. Geez. That seat is in jeopardy for the Republicans, and that seat should be about as safe as they come.

But even if Republicans lose the Senate, it is bound to become more conservative. Vulnerable Republicans are Arlen, Lisa Murkowski, and the Illinois seat. But Republicans will probably win in SC, NC, GA and FL. Maybe not all, but some. And they'll be more conservative than those who are leaving or will lose. Add to this the fact that Ben Campbell is retiring. The more liberal Republicans are leaving.

[11th Earl of Mar]

They think we live in igloos, ride around in dog sled teams and eat whale blubber.

Yeah. Right.

We all know you now use snowmobiles.

[plain talk]

Thanks for the heads up, I guess.