Alaska Election Results Provide a Boost to Palin
Getty Images/Ethan Miller
Conservative insurgent Joe Miller may be on the verge of toppling Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski in the state's Republican primary, in what could prove to be a significant victory for former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (as well as Miller, of course).
An unknown attorney from Fairbanks, Miller currently holds a slight lead over Murkowski in large part because of his support from Palin, he said Tuesday night.
"I'm absolutely certain that was pivotal," Miller said of Palin's endorsement, the Anchorage Daily News reports.
At her own campaign headquarters Tuesday, Murkowski took a shot at Palin, according to the Daily News.
"I think she's out for her own self-interest," she said. "I don't think she's out for Alaska's interest."
Washington Unplugged: Winners and Losers In Alaska, Fla. Primaries
If Miller Wins, Will Alaskans Really Turn Backs on Federal Government Largess?
CBSNews.com Special Report: Campaign 2010
If Miller wins, it would be one of the biggest upsets in Alaskan political history, as well as the first demonstration of Palin's influence in Alaska since she resigned as governor last year.
When she endorsed Miller earlier this year, Palin insisted there was no "feud or bad blood" between her and Murkowski. But the two politicians have a contentious history. When Palin resigned as governor, Murkowski released a terse statement about how she was "disappointed" that Palin quit. Palin first made it to the governor's office by defeating Murkowski's father Frank, the Republican incumbent, in the 2006 election.
On Twitter, Palin called Miller's possible victory "a miracle on ice."
If Murkowski does lose, she would be the third incumbent senator to face defeat before even making it to the general election.
Palin has played an active role in a number of campaigns across the country. She's endorsed 42 candidates; of the 32 candidates who have already gone up before voters, 20 of Palin's picks have won.At left, Democratic and Republican strategists discuss Palin's effect on primaries on Washington Unplugged.
More than just Palin's influence was at work in the Alaska Senate primary, however. The Tea Party made significant investments in Miller's campaign, and Miller also won endorsements from other conservatives such as former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.
Miller also hammered Murkowski for being supportive of abortion rights, an issue that played a major role in bringing out his supporters because an abortion measure was also on the ballot. Measure 2, which voters approved, requires teenagers to notify their parents before receiving an abortion.
"The Prop. 2 supporters were our supporters, largely," Miller said, as the Anchorage Daily News reported. "Frankly, I think the pro-life vote was important."
More election coverage: Murkowski Trails in Tight Alaska Primary
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Arizona Primary Results: Ben Quayle Wins
Meek Wins Florida Democratic Senate Primary
Scott Gets GOP Nomination for Fla. Governor
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Weird...Next up folks, coverage of Little George Bush balancing his check book!
One thing is for sure - Palin Lover's are definitely pea-brained!
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At least we have a brain! I don't think you Palin haters have one at all! If someone x-rayed your head they'd find nothing but an empty space where your brain should be!
IT IS OVERWHELMING. you have proved that the palinites are intellectuals.
i bow to your superior use of the english language and the unbelievable strength of your argument: "if someone x-rayed your head they'd find nothing but an empty space where your brain should be!"
gold, pure gold. i am in awe of your massive intellect.
run for president.... please.
"MurdochSucks...At least the name is accurate."
++++ Yes, Rupert Murdoch is a vile humanoid, who sucks the brains and common sense out of people for a HUGE profit!
"She hunts, skis, goes fishing, has a college degree, has been (and is still) married to the SAME MAN (who isn't gay), has some wonderful kids, owns a business, was a member of the PTA, was a Mayor, was a Governor, has worked for it."
++++ She worked for it until she realized she could make it big as a Fox talking puppet, she broke her vow to Alaskans only two years into her term. Her college degree is a Bachelor's in communication with emphasis in journalism, you know that industry that she is a part of yet that she continually complains about. Do you have any proof that Todd is not gay? Their kids' names are pretty flamboyant. She left the town of Wasilla in a debt hole, she left the state of Alaska in a debt hole, with debt to GDP ratio far surpassing the federal government's. Yes, that is the kind of leadership she would bring to Washington. She would be the best mismanagement and would sink us into a hole we could never get out of faster than anybody else ever could, but at least we would be number one in something, which Republicans seem to despise.
"Of course...how can that ever compare to Obama being schooled in a madrassa, influenced by some of the most outstanding socialists growing up & a terrorist bomber, Attending Harvard (who paid for that ..by the way? Government, taxpayers, someone else?)"
++++ What were you saying about backing up your statements with facts, or does that only apply to others?
"Married to a nice wife who like VERY expensive stuff"
++++ What wife doesn't like expensive stuff. The Obamas live a pretty normal, middle class life, actually. Obama donated all of the proceeds from his book to charities, and he donated all of the money he received from his Nobel Peace Prize to charity as well. You don't think Sarah Palin, who spent $150K of campaign contributions on a wardrobe liked expensive stuff? How much has Sarah Palin donated so far this year to charity? She runs around charging out the wazoo for speaking engagements and hordes that money. Good for her for gouging those fools, and it is her business where she gives money, but when you compare her to Michelle Obama, you will find that Michelle is much more grounded and in touch with "common" Americans and their struggles.
"His ideologies are just not what our Founding Fathers had in mind when the Constitution was written."
++++ So I assume you had this problem with Bush, Clinton, Bush, and Reagan, right? In what "ideologies," besides Health Care Reform, do you find him counter to the Constitution, anyway?
"Jimmy Carter is his biggest fan. Now poor old Jimmy is not the worst President we've ever had."
++++ Actually the latest scholars poll showed that Obama was 15th best, and Carter was 32nd, while Bush Jr slid in Joe Cool at 39th. Ha, Bush was worse than Carter! Funny. At least Bush was better than the four worst presidents, though.
"Who's life is more like America? Obama or Sarah Palin?"
++++ We've tried that whole "I can relate to him, I could sit in a bar and have a beer with him" logic before and it got us into a heap of trouble. We won't be fooled again. I'd much rather have an "intellectual" running the show than a complete nit. When you are sick, do you see a Doctor, or do you call up your local "Joe" plumber buddy from High School?
"Why does Obama support a Mosque at ground zero & Palin doesn't if Obama is our President & supposed to be for the people?"
++++ So Muslims are not people? Your bigotry is coming out. There he goes, standing up for the Constitution and the liberties defined in it again, darn it.
"I think it would be fun to watch Sarah as President just to upset the left."
++++ So you want to sink the ship and destroy our country for kicks, you must be a Reaganite, "Starve the Beast" kind of guy. She talks about fiscal responsibility, yet her own state is employed mostly by the Government! She only worked a regular job for five of years between 1987 and 1992, much of which was working with her husband's fishing company, yet sells you on an "I'm a people of the people" kind of tag line. Don't be fooled, she is no more in touch with the common person than anybody other "Hollywood Elites," that she loves to demonize.
"Notice nobody wants him around to campaign for them? EVERYONE wants Sarah."
++++ Obama has been doing tons of fundraisers for the Democratic Party. Very few people want to be associated with Sarah Palin. She is a political lightning rod, and only speaks for a small extremist group of Republicans. Look at the people she is "endorsing." Moderate Republicans want nothing to do with her.
"The media are the idiots. they are the stupid ones."
++++ So which one of us reverts to name calling when we don't have a point? Oh yea, its the hypocritical droning of a Republican supporter.