Posted on 09/17/2010 1:51:10 PM PDT by iowamark
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) will run for re-election as a write-in candidate after losing her bid for renomination, according to sources briefed on Murkowski's decision.
Murkowski's decision will set up a 3-way battle between the incumbent, Miller and Sitka Mayor Scott McAdams (D), potentially turning the race on its head. Private 3-way polling has shown Miller leading, but by a narrow margin.
Murkowski will make the formal announcement tonight in Anchorage. She has been mulling her options after losing to attorney Joe Miller (R) by 1.8% -- or about 2K votes out of 110K cast.
Miller won with the backing of the Tea Party Express and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R). The Tea Party Express spent hundreds of thousands of dollars criticizing Murkowski's legislative accomplishments, and Palin campaigned against her rival in the race's closing days.
She has not formally said she will run, but her campaign is inviting reporters to call in. Murkowski spokespeople were not immediately available for comment Friday afternoon.
Campaign volunteers have been inviting supporters to a "kick-off" event tonight, the Anchorage Daily News reported this afternoon. And in comments to the paper on Thursday, Murkowski certainly sounded like a candidate.
"I'm not much of a poker player, but the analogy I've been using is that I'm sitting there and I've been dealt a six and an eight," Murkowski told the paper. "I'm not much of a poker player, but the analogy I've been using is that I'm sitting there and I've been dealt a six and an eight. But it is possible."
The NRSC has said it will back Miller, even though Murkowski is a member of Senate GOP leadership. NRSC communications director Brian Walsh referred inquiries to a statement the committee released last night and refused to elaborate further.
No one expected it would be the RINOs forming the Elitist Party.
But that is what we got. Charlie Crist, Lisa Murkowski and other ex-RINOs who have been stripped of their Rs are the candidates of this 3rd party.
Their platform: 1) retain power at all costs. 2) say and do anything for votes.
Great point!
If she won wouldn't she be an Independent> She could caucus with the Dems.
RINOSKI
‘INO’ (less the R)
Well put, my man!!! Well put!!!!
Personally, I am not wringing my hands over this.
It’s just one more small hurdle for the Tea Party movement.
But it is like a roadblock in front of Godzilla.
This is just another state where the Democrat Party will come in 3rd. I see that as great. It shows just how reviled and irrelevant the Democrats have become. Alaska and Florida will elect Republicans, with ex-RINO independents coming in second, and the irrelevant Democrats coming in dead last.
What a night November 2nd is going to be!
Murkowski Wing of the GOP party.
In return, the Tea Party should field a write-in candidate against Mark Kirk in IL. That will get the EstablishPubs’ attention.
Heck, those donations may even soar.
Heck, even Rove opposed this bitch.
Dumbest post of the day.
"Her Rival?"
That’s fer shore.
Is this a trial balloon then? Maybe if she gets enough flak about it, she'll say, "Well I never said I was running, it was said about me by folks in the media."
If she does run a write in campaign, she'll just cement the idea that she's a Sore Loserman, because the VOTERS had the chance to choose a candidate, and they didn't choose HER. Maybe the folks in AK are just tired of the Murkowski family running things, and want to give others a chance.
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