Sen. Frank Murkowski

Sen. Frank Murkowski

• Junior Senator and Republican Incumbent, Sen. Frank Murkowski was elected to the Senate in 1980 carrying nearly 54% of the vote against Clark Greuning, a former member of the Alaska Legislature. This was not his first attempt at a Congressional seat; in 1970, he was defeated by Nick Begich in his bid for the U.S. House.
• Murkowski's career is based in business and Economic Development. He was the President of the Alaska National Bank of the North and served as the state's Commissioner of Economic Development. Murkowski also served as the President of the Alaska Chamber of Commerce.
• As Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Murkowski has supported some controversial yet important business decisions for Alaska. He led the effort to open the Arctic National Refuge to oil exploration, as well playing a key role in the effort to lift the decades-old ban on exporting Alaska oil.
• Only after running into tourism and environmental opposition, Murkowski reversed his call for additional logging in the nation's largest forest, Alaska's Tongass National Forest.
• Murkowski has taken a keen interest in the affairs of his foreign neighbors. He is the Republican's point man on Korean relations - eager to facilitate "a meaningful dialogue" between North and South Korea.
• The three (3) term Senator supports Congressional Term Limits if done by Constiutional Amendment.
• In 1994, political analysts believed Murkowski would return to Alaska to run for Governor. Instead, he decided stay in the Senate. In 1998, he again announced he would seek re-election rather than return home.