Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) speaks today about the status of her campaign. (Photo Credit: AP / Rob Stapleton)
by Mike Memoli
Updated figures from the Alaska Division of Elections now show that Joe Miller's lead over incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski is down to just 1,492 votes, with two precincts yet to report and thousands of absentee ballots still to be counted.
The revised count comes amid wild speculation both in Alaska and here in Washington about the status of a race that no one expected to still be discussing at this point yesterday.
For her part, the 8-year incumbent says she is not giving up, saying there "is much, much yet to be counted."
"It ain't over yet, folks," she said at a press conference today.
As she sounded optimistic publicly, The Daily Beast reported that Murkowski advisers were exploring their options regarding an independent candidacy, though it was unclear how that would be possible.
One scenario the story cited is the 1990 Alaska governor race, in which Gov. Wally Hickel lost the Republican nomination, but ultimately won by joining the Alaskan Independence Party (AIP) ticket. The party, which has more than 14,000 registered voters in the state, did not nominate a Senate candidate yesterday.
Asked in an interview with The Swamp if they would consider giving Murkowski their party's nomination, AIP chairwoman Lynette Clark said: "Absolutely not."
"Gov. Hickel was a respected Alaskan. I don't think Lisa has much Alaska left in her," Clark said. She also called Miller "a damn fine man" who shares her party's founding ideals.
Gail Fenumiai, director of the Alaska Division of Elections, said that if Murkowski were indeed to lose, her only option to continue as a candidate for the general election "would be as a write-in candidate."
On the Democratic side, there was speculation as to whether Sitka Mayor Scott McAdams would be replaced. In a conference call, he said he planned to stay in the race and would defeat Miller. But potential replacements, should the party choose to seek another candidate, include Hollis French, who lost the gubernatorial primary Tuesday, and former Gov. Tony Knowles, who lost to Murkowski in 2004.
Beyond the gamesmanship, most Alaskans were simply trying to absorb the stunning result.
"Everybody assumed it was getting close, but the fact that he's actually going to catch her caught just about everybody by surprise," said Dave Dittman, a Republican pollster.
Dittman expected it would take "a real fortuitous break" for Murkowski to prevail, but said it remained a possibility, based on the profile of absentee ballots.
"Absentees tend to reflect the state of mind at the time they were cast," he said. Miller appeared to ride a wave of very late momentum, and if a significant number of the absentee ballots were cast before that surge, Murkowski could conceivably make up enough votes to still prevail.
"There was a time she had a 2-to-1 lead," Dittman said.
The state elections division does not count absentee ballots until all precincts have submitted final returns, Fenumiai said. The first count is planned for August 31, with two more scheduled for September 3 and 8.
By law, the elections division will accept any absentee ballots with an August 24 postmark if received 10 days after the election (15 if overseas or military). The target date for certifying the vote is September 15, but at that point the state Review Board then has 10 days for a review and canvass of selected ballots.
Comments
It's great watching another Republican (Murkowski) get kicked out of the Republican party by the Teabagger Taliban and then turning around and running as an Independent. Thanks, Quitter Sarah.
Pass the Popcorn!
Posted by: Rob | August 25, 2010 7:08 PM
What's with these ridiculous incumbents who lose? Crist gets hammered in the polls, so he becomes and independent. Specter knew he would lose the Republican primary so he becomes a Democrat because he doesn't want his fate decided by the voters. Of course, the voters still decided it. And now Murkowski. Scat, scootch, begone, Murkowski!!
Posted by: John D | August 25, 2010 7:52 PM
These divisions are trouble for the GOP. With America finally waking up to the Obama fraud, if the GOP can just keep their mouths shut, stick together and stay pantsed, they are guaranteed to pick up seats in November. I'm not sure they are capable of those things.
Posted by: Herbie H. | August 25, 2010 8:46 PM
Future looks Murky owski Wah Wah WAH! had to get that out, i'm sorry. plz continue. . .
Posted by: malabar | August 25, 2010 9:43 PM
"no one expected" Murkowski to be in trouble?
None of the Swamp "experts", certainly.
What a bunch of morons...
It's great watching the one-party Democrat media make fools of themselves.
Posted by: Equal time | August 25, 2010 10:33 PM
Catherine Harris Speaks! Shhhh! Shhhh! Just don't count the votes! Just say "Thee Won!" America is still stuck in that GOP "Suspension of Disbelief." Just say "He Won." It's the GOP way! Just Choose! He's You LIE! Suppress those votes! Cage those voters!He's Levi! Just say "He Won." Just Choose! Beck told me so! McCain made me so! I'm the EVE in EEVS! Beck is the REAL ID! Just claim "HE" won! Just say "HE" won! Karl said so! "We Live in the age of the TEA PARTY TEAM GOP." What we say go! Satan told me so! My "Standing Sinners." Walk with me! Talk with me! Just say "He Won."
No Votes for you! Just....the paraphrase that you are looking for!
Posted by: Roger Morris | August 25, 2010 11:48 PM
Another story of an incumbent having trouble in the primaries. It is starting to look like a lot of incumbents will have trouble in the general election in the Fall. Politico is reporting this morning that many Democrats are privately admitting that they will lose control of the House of Representatives in November. If this Republican Wave does materialize as some independent political consultants have said it might, the Democrats are going to be in for a long night on election day.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0810/41469.html
Posted by: depot jim | August 26, 2010 9:47 AM
The same Swamp "political experts" who admit they never thought Murkowski would lose, are still trying to dispense their political "wisdom". And the Swamp is still reporting what they say.....
No wonder only 22% of Americans trust the media....
Posted by: Equal time | August 26, 2010 9:48 AM
"Teabagger Taliban". That's good. Verygood.
Usually those family dynasties have entrenched foot soldiers who can rustle up some "overlooked" ballots--even whole ballot boxes--when teh going gets tough......
Like the Murkowski dynasty.....
Posted by: ornery | August 26, 2010 2:58 PM
History and the Evolution of Conservatives and Liberals
(Received as an email and slightly modified)
For those that don’t know anything about history, the following is a condensed version: Humans originally existed as members of small bands of nomadic hunters/gatherers. They lived on deer in the mountains during the summer and would go to the coast and live on fish and lobster in the winter.
The two most important events in all of history were the invention of beer and the invention of the wheel. The wheel was invented to get man to the beer. These were the foundations of modern civilization and together were the catalyst for the splitting of humanity into two distinct subgroups, liberals and conservatives. Once beer was discovered, it required grain and that was the beginning of agriculture. Neither the glass bottle nor aluminum can were invented yet so while early humans were sitting around waiting for them to be invented, they just stayed close to the brewery. That’s how villages were formed.
Some men spent their days tracking and killing animals to BBQ at night while they were drinking beer. This was the beginning of what is known as the Conservative Movement.
Other men who were weaker and less skilled at hunting learned to live off the conservatives by showing up for the nightly BBQ’s and doing the sewing, fetching, and hair dressing. This was the beginning of the Liberal Movement.
Some of these liberal men eventually evolved into women. They became known as girlie-men. Some noteworthy liberal achievements include the domestication of cats, the invention of group therapy, group hugs, and the concept of democratic voting to decide how to divide the meat and beer that conservatives provided.
Over the years . . .
(Read more at http://www.genelalor.com/blog1/?p=1865)
Posted by: Berlet98 | August 26, 2010 5:18 PM
Ornery,
I expected better from you, but I guess you have joined the rest of the flatliners.
Basically the libs don't want to argue facts, they just want to call us Racists, Nativist, homophobic isloamophobs
Posted by: Terry | August 27, 2010 8:11 PM