In Alaska Senate Race, Front-Runner Isn’t on Ballot

[onehandle]

Source: New York Times

FAIRBANKS, Alaska — The candidate treated like the front-runner in the Alaska Senate race is one not actually on the ballot.

Neither Joe Miller nor Scott McAdams, for instance, was invited on stage here at the annual convention of the Alaska Federation of Natives last week. The only candidate allowed to address the 4,000 in attendance — and the candidate the federation eventually endorsed — was the incumbent, Lisa Murkowski, the Republican now running as a write-in candidate.

“You humble me, you honor me,” Ms. Murkowski told the crowd. “I will fight for you as long as I am able.” Just weeks ago, Ms. Murkowski’s bid looked like a long shot. And it still may be — reliable polls in Alaska are few and far between.

But since being embarrassed in an upset by Mr. Miller, a protégé of Sarah Palin’s, in the Republican primary, Ms. Murkowski has defied conventional wisdom and her colleagues in the Republican establishment by waging a credible race as a write-in candidate. Analysts and Alaskans now say she could overcome the odds and logistical hurdles to win, something no senator has done since Strom Thurmond of South Carolina in 1954. Or she could be a spoiler.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/us/politics/26alaska.html

[breadandwine]

1. You have to vote for Murkowski! That's nice. . . . . . .

You have no choice blah blah........


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9388207


In the Soviet Union you could only vote for communists.

Fair is fair. In Alaska you should only be allowed to vote Republican.

Yeah right. . . . . .

[Historic NY]

2. NyT oracles she could win or she could be the spoiler...& they wonder why people stop reading.

[karynnj]

3. This race could really go anywhere and may not be decided for months

Miller looks to have as much baggage as O'Donnell, though he is not as amusing. He really is pretty dangerous and - if elected, may be really hard to kick out.

I hope more comes out on his past - enough that many Republicans opt not to vote. This is another mess that the republican party could attribute directly to Palin.

By the way, isn't there a HUGE amount of irony in Palin saying " “I find it astonishing that a sitting U.S. senator from Alaska would challenge the honor of a decorated combat veteran,” Ms. Palin wrote. " I seem to remember a whole lot of Republican Senators and Congressmen and Governors who thought nothing of challenging the honor of a far more decorated veteran in 2004 - and since. I guess she left out the word "Republican".

[molly77]

4. I think in '04 , the democrats in Alaska

thought the election was suspicious and asked to see the election results. They were not allowed. This one will be harder to pull off since Murkowsky will have to be a write in.