Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) "conceded late Tuesday in her Republican primary race against Joe Miller, a lawyer from Fairbanks who was backed by Tea Party activists, Sarah Palin and other conservatives," the New York Times reports.
Mr. Miller shocked the political establishment here and in Washington last week when he emerged with a narrow lead, 1,668 votes, after the primary vote, on Aug. 24.
Mr. Miller, who has proposed drastic cuts in federal spending, had trailed badly in local polls in the weeks before the election but benefited from a last-minute flood of advertisements, mailings and automated calls casting Ms. Murkowski as a Democrat in disguise. An abortion-related ballot measure also brought conservatives to the polls.
Many people said Ms. Murkowski’s failure to respond aggressively to Mr. Miller’s attacks, including some that distorted her voting record, had played an important role in her defeat. But she suggested on Tuesday that she had no regrets.
Her concession "followed the counting of about 17,000 additional ballots in the race on Tuesday, which left Mr. Miller with a lead of 1,630 votes out of about 104,000 cast."
Several thousand more votes were to be counted on Friday but the trend suggested Ms. Murkowski would not gain enough ground to win.
“Based on where we are right now, I don’t see a scenario where the primary will turn out in my favor,” she said.
The general election to come:
Mr. Miller, who has a law degree from Yale and has been a federal magistrate in Fairbanks, will face Scott T. McAdams, the mayor of Sitka in Southeast Alaska, who won the Democratic primary. Alaska voters lean hard to Republican candidates and Mr. Miller is the presumed favorite.
But Democrats have pointed to early polls showing Mr. McAdams within striking distance and say they will portray Mr. Miller as an extreme conservative out of line with the state’s more pragmatic politicians, who have largely focused on bringing federal money back to Alaska. Economists say about one third of the state’s economy is dependent on federal spending.
Patti Higgins, Chair of the "Alaska Democratic Party, issued the following statement in response to Senator Lisa Murkowski’s concession," according to a press release.
“Although the Alaska Democratic Party often disagreed with Senator Lisa Murkowski’s votes, we know that she cares about Alaska and fought for Alaska. With Senator Murkowski’s concession, Alaskans will be looking for a U.S. Senator who will make our interests the top priority.
“Alaskans are fortunate to have Sitka Mayor Scott McAdams running to be Alaska’s next U.S. Senator. Mayor McAdams will fight for Alaska families, develop our resources, and bring us jobs. This campaign is about who will stand up for the interests of Alaskans, who has the integrity to fight D.C. special interests, and who can represent all Alaskans.
“We at the Alaska Democratic Party want to thank Senator Murkowski for her dedication to Alaska and her devotion to public service. We look forward to the next two months as we show Alaskans that Mayor McAdams is the leader Alaska needs.”
National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chairman John Cornyn’s (R-TX) statement:
“After a hard-fought primary contest, I offer my sincere congratulations to Joe Miller and offer him my strong support. The NRSC is committed to doing everything that we can in order to ensure Joe Miller’s victory this November, and I have no doubt that he will be elected as the next U.S. Senator from Alaska.
“Voters in Alaska and across the country face a serious but clear choice this November. If they are happy with the reckless spending, higher taxes, and bloated federal government in Washington, then they should vote for a Democrat. But if they believe in restoring accountability and providing checks-and-balances to President Obama’s agenda, then they should vote for Republican candidates like Joe Miller.
“On a personal note, I thank my friend and colleague Senator Lisa Murkowski for her work on behalf of Alaska and our country. In conceding this evening and avoiding a long and costly recount, she has once again put Alaska first, displaying the same selfless service that she is known for in the halls of Congress. While she will leave the Senate later this year, I have no doubt that Lisa Murkowski will continue to serve both Alaska and our country for many years to come.”
Senator Mark Begich (D-AK) also issued a statement:
“Senator Murkowski has served the citizens of Alaska with great energy and considerable grace, always putting Alaska first. While we served together in the U.S. Senate for almost two years from different political parties, we agreed on Alaska issues nearly 99 percent of the time.
“She has been my friend for many years, and for the past nearly two years we have worked together on behalf of Alaska. When I was first elected, she and her staff were eager to help me and my staff navigate the complexities of the U.S. Senate, and we were grateful for their assistance.
“I join Alaskans across this state in thanking Senator Murkowski for her service, and as she said in her speech tonight, I know she will continue to work on behalf of Alaska when she returns home.”
(credit image – daylife/associated press)
Congress in Your Pocket
S E N A T U S 