2010 Elections, Political News

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, running as a write-in candidate after losing the September GOP primary, has taken a narrow lead in the unusual three-way Alaska Senate race according to both public and internal polling monitored by the various campaigns. Republican nominee Joe Miller appears to have slipped to third place, behind Sitka Mayor Scott McAdams (D). That order is reinforced by the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s decision to launch its first independent expenditure ad targeting the Democrat. The spot is the NRSC’s second on statewide television in two weeks, and comes on the heels of Miller revealing that he was disciplined during his tenure as a local government lawyer for using a municipal computer for political purposes and attempting to cover it up. The Alaska Supreme Court’s decision late Wednesday to allow the state Division of Elections to provide a list of certified write-in candidates to voters at polling places is an additional blow to Miller and boost to Murkowski, given the difficulty of pulling off a successful write-in campaign. The state Supreme Court’s ruling overturned a lower court decision that had barred the Division of Elections from making the write-in candidates list available.

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Murkowski Takes Lead in Alaska; NRSC Ad Attacks McAdams (VIDEO)

A new one-minute TV ad being released by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) uses a video endorsement by the late Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) taken before his death in August. Before using the sensitive footage, Stevens’ daughter speaks on screen. “My father made a campaign commercial for Lisa that was scheduled to run just days after we lost him,” Sue Covich says. “Putting our family before her campaign, Lisa made certain the ad did not air out of respect for my dad and our family. Now my family and I want you to hear for yourself how strongly he felt about the need to re-elect Lisa.” “We need Lisa and the seniority she’s earned now more than ever,” Stevens says in the ad. Polls show the race is close, as Murkowski wages a difficult write-in campaign against Republican nominee Joe Miller and Democratic nominee Scott McAdams. The Murkowski campaign released its latest FEC report on Thursday, showing it’s raised more than $200,000 since she announced her write-in bid on Sept. 17. She had nearly $1.2 million in cash-on-hand as of Sept. 30.

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Murkowski Ad Features Stevens Footage

Her write-in bid for re-election is just four days old, but Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R) is hitting the TV and radio airwaves to explain her decision to run and why voters should choose her instead of her Republican and Democratic opponents. The 60-second ad is airing statewide for a week, according to a campaign press release. Despite losing the GOP primary, Murkowski says in the ad that she heard from numerous people asking to her to keep running. “Alaskans have spoken,” she says. “They cannot accept the extreme views of Joe Miller nor the inexperience of Scott McAdams. They want a choice on November 2nd.” Unlike them, Murkowski says, she is “someone who works to represent all Alaskans.” Murkowski also notes that, as a write-in candidate, she faces hurdles both historical and practical. “Some say this can’t be done. But your vote has never been more important. Together, let’s make history.”

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Murkowski Launches Statewide Ad Campaign

Alaska Republican Senate nominee Joe Miller has a full slate of Washington, D.C., fundraisers and other meetings with GOP leaders and rank-and-file Members scheduled for next week, according to an invite sent to downtown lobbyists. The events include a Sept. 29 reception with 13 GOP Senators set to attend, including Minority Whip Jon Kyl (Ariz.) and National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn (Texas). Also on Miller’s docket is an Oct. 1 breakfast at Johnny’s Half Shell restaurant hosted by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.). Miller has at least four more events scheduled for next week. The Fairbanks attorney defeated Sen. Lisa Murkowski last month in the Alaska GOP Senate primary. Murkowski, however, announced Friday that she would remain in the race and seek re-election as a write-in candidate. Republican leaders and most rank-and-file GOP Senators are backing Miller — as are most lobbyists, who don’t want to incur the wrath of the party’s leadership.

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Alaska: Miller Plans Inside-the-Beltway Fundraising Jaunt

The Republican Party of Delaware has filed a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission, accusing one of its own Senate candidates of illegally collaborating with the Tea Party Express. Attorneys for the state party asked the FEC to launch an immediate and thorough investigation into conservative GOP candidate Christine O’Donnell “to remedy the alleged violations and to ensure that these violations immediately cease and do not reoccur,” according to the complaint filed Thursday. O’Donnell, who faces Rep. Mike Castle in Tuesday’s primary, came under fire from the state party shortly after tea-party backed candidate Joe Miller upset Sen. Lisa Murkowski in the Alaska GOP primary.

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Delaware GOP Files FEC Complaint Against O’Donnell

Even as Senate GOP Conference Vice Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski considers running as a write-in candidate in the November general election, the Alaska Republican’s colleagues on the GOP leadership team have cut her loose and begun to line up behind Joe Miller. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has contributed $5,000 to Miller’s campaign through his Bluegrass political action committee. Additionally, an official with the National Republican Senatorial Committee confirmed Wednesday that a $42,600 donation to the Fairbanks attorney was in transit to his Alaska campaign headquarters. This official also said the NRSC has pledged to spend roughly $170,000 in coordinated funds. All dollar amounts constitute the maximum allowed under the law. Murkowski conceded defeat to Miller in the Alaska Republican Senate primary last week. Sources say she could announce a write-in candidacy as early as Thursday. Sitka Mayor Scott McAdams is running for the Democrats. — David M. Drucker

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Republicans Put Their Money on Miller in Alaska

Sen. Lisa Murkowski isn’t ready to give up the fight for re-election just yet, the Alaska Republican told the Associated Press on Tuesday. “I have not made that determination that I’m going to give up,” Murkowski said. “I’m not a quitter, never have been. And I’m still in this game.” Murkowski conceded the GOP primary to challenger Joe Miller on Aug. 31 after he made an unexpectedly strong showing in the Aug. 24 race, but she has not endorsed him. Murkowski was appointed as a Senator in 2002 and won her first full term in 2004. She said an outpouring of support from Alaskan voters has persuaded her to weigh her options. If she decides to continue her campaign, she could enter the race as a write-in candidate until five days before the general election, or she could try to get on the Libertarian ticket.

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Murkowski Tells AP: ‘I’m Still in This Game’

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The candidate who defeated U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski in Alaska’s Republican primary has been cited for his role in a recent three-car collision in Fairbanks.

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Alaska US Senate candidate cited in 3-car crash

Alaska Republican Senate hopeful Joe Miller has hired a prominent Washington, D.C., fundraiser to help fuel his general election campaign against Sitka Mayor Scott McAdams (D). Miller, a Fairbanks attorney who narrowly ousted Senate Conference Vice Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski in last month’s GOP primary, has tapped Republican fundraiser Mike Gula, whose clients include GOP Sens. Jim DeMint (S.C.) and Richard Shelby (Ala.). DeMint stayed neutral in the primary contest, but he enthusiastically endorsed Miller after Murkowski’s concession earlier this week. One Republican lobbyist said Miller should be able to raise significant funds downtown, noting that Murkowski — ranking member on the Energy and National Resources Committee — never enjoyed the strongest relationships with K Street. The lobbyist also suggested that Democrats may not pressure lobbyists to stay neutral in the race given the likelihood that the seat will stay in GOP hands.

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Alaska: Miller Getting Serious About Fundraising

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Ten days ago, Scott McAdams had a volunteer treasurer and a few thousand dollars to help him pursue the Democratic nomination for U.S. senator in Alaska.

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Alaska Democrat’s campaign for US Senate ramps up