Here we go: Murkowski set to launch write-in campaign tomorrow?
posted at 4:11 pm on September 8, 2010 by Allahpundit
Roll Call thinks it’s a done deal, which can only mean that the Libertarians finally gave her a hard no about being the party’s nominee. Amazing. They had a chance to get a flawed candidate elected to the U.S. Senate, and instead they stood on principle with a purer nominee knowing that it meant certain defeat. Foolish or admirable (or both)? Reminds me … of Delaware.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski is strongly considering mounting a November write-in campaign to keep her seat and could make an announcement as soon as tomorrow, according to a source with knowledge of the situation…
Should Murkowski pull the trigger on a write-in campaign, GOP sources say she would face opposition from the National Republican Senatorial Committee. The NRSC endorsed Joe Miller immediately after Murkowski conceded the primary, and the GOP committee intends to stick with the Fairbanks attorney and provide him with the full weight of its backing…
While waging a write-in campaign is a daunting proposition for any candidate, the one source noted that with Murkowski’s strong name identification, fundraising ability and the state’s election laws, she could pull it off.
Serious question: Is this outcome actually better for the Democrat McAdams than having Murkowski on the ballot as the Libertarian nominee? Remember, according to that PPP poll from last month, if she ran as a Lib she’d pull 38 percent of the independent vote, 32 percent of the Republican vote, and 28 percent of the Democratic vote — a remarkably balanced haul. As a write-in candidate, though, my hunch is that those numbers will skew more heavily towards the Republican side since only the most devoted Murkowski supporters will take the time to pencil her in. And, let’s face it, the most devoted Murky fans are likely to be centrist Republicans, not Dems. Not only that, but surely some Democratic voters sympathetic to Murkowski will recognize their strategic opportunity here: If they rally behind McAdams, she and Miller will split the GOP and suddenly their long-shot nominee has a real chance at winning. So, just spitballing, what will the partisan breakdown be for a Murky write-in candidacy? Maybe 30 percent indie, 25 percent GOP, and 15 percent Democratic? If so, that’s a 10-point gap between Republicans and Dems whereas having her on the ballot as a Libertarian is merely a four-point gap. Might not be enough to put McAdams over the top but it certainly improves his chances. Or does it? What am I missing here?
Blowback
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Murkowski is the Polish term for “Mad Cow”.
You’re welcome for the translation.
Jim M. on September 8, 2010 at 5:01 PM
It’s sad, and in more eeyore moments, I see this type of thing that the GOP (and certain members) pull to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory this election cycle.
DrAllecon on September 8, 2010 at 4:59 PM
You’re absolutely right. Let’s look at Colorado. Another loss that didn’t have to be. Sad
sandee on September 8, 2010 at 5:01 PM
Please. That’s like asking Al Capone to fire Frank Nitti. The AK Republican Party, like it’s Democratic twin, is addicted to the swag, whether it comes from Washington or from Big Oil. Palin was the exception to that Rule, not the Rule itself.
One of the things I have long suspected is that the Murkowskis and the AK Republican Party leadership had a hidden hand in what happened to Palin with the blizzard of ethics investigations that led to her resignation. They literally stood to one side while the Democrats saddled her with increasing legal bills that they knew she could not pay, and I suspect now that they might have had a hand in it.
Just a hunch.
Something that wouldn’t have happened in Florida, btw.
victor82 on September 8, 2010 at 5:02 PM
John Adams was so upset that he lost to Thomas Jefferson. He snuck out of Washington before Jefferson was inaugurated. Which was sad, at one time these two men had been the best of friends. They did reconcile their friendship before they died. Coincidentally they died on the same day July 4, 1826.
Tommy_G on September 8, 2010 at 5:03 PM
Sarah Palin had good insight to support the challenger of this witch.
toongoon on September 8, 2010 at 5:06 PM
“My Daddy gave me this seat. Its mine.” – Lisa Murkowski
portlandon on September 8, 2010 at 5:08 PM
Looks like Sarah was right.
tarpon on September 8, 2010 at 5:13 PM
Have some class Lisa! You ran, you lost. Pack it in this time, regroup, run again.
EliTheBean on September 8, 2010 at 5:13 PM
Politics are local. Whoever wants the handouts will vote for the dem or Murkey. No one, it seems, looks at the long term consequences. It’s all about me, me, me.
Vince on September 8, 2010 at 5:14 PM
My formatting skills suck!
Vince on September 8, 2010 at 5:14 PM
I think you are WAY overestimating her impact on the election. Unless Alaskans think and act differently than most folks, this will earn her nothing but comtempt from eveyone except the Dems.
The Tea Party is not splitting the ticket – they won the Rep primary fair and square. To the victor go the spoils.
The only thing she will accomplish by continuing to run in this election is to guarantee that she will never get elected again. Most conservative folks don’t like crazy people representing them.
connertown on September 8, 2010 at 5:18 PM
Jesus Christ on ice skates.
Hey, stupid ruling class witch! Here’s a freakin’ clue! We The People don’t want you around anymore!
Dominion on September 8, 2010 at 5:21 PM
Let this be a lesson to the Republican Party, stay out of Primaries.
thmsmgnm on September 8, 2010 at 5:22 PM
Just another political spoilt brat.
Sandybourne on September 8, 2010 at 5:22 PM
I am not blaming the Republican Party for Murkowski’s actions. I am trying to light a fire under the Alaska State Republican Party to use their influence to nip this potential write in campaign in the bud before it does any more damage to the Republican Party.
There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes in Party politics. If the leaders of the Alaska Republican Party suddenly get a deluge of email from outraged Alaskans, the Party will have a strong incentive to strongly “encourage” Lisa Murkowski to accept her loss gracefully and endorse Joe Miller.
If Lisa Murkowski ever wants to run for any office in Alaska in the future or to even attend one of their cocktail parties, it would be beneficial for her to have a friendly relationship with the State Republican Party.
Contacting Senator Mitch McConnell is also an excellent suggestion., Mr. D.
The voting public really does have more influence on the local, state and national Republican Party than we think we do. But most of us don’t take the time to learn how the system works or who our Republican leaders are.
wren on September 8, 2010 at 5:24 PM
True enough, but she squeaked by with a 3% margin in 2004, when Bush beat Kerry in Alaska by 61-36? Murkowski seems to be a weaker-than-average Republican in Alaska, even in good years!
Steve Z on September 8, 2010 at 5:33 PM
Why doesn’t she just wait 4 years and challenge the dem when he comes up for re-election.
If she is so popular it should be an easy win no? Can’t live without the perks for 4 years can we?
clement on September 8, 2010 at 5:35 PM
I see what you’re missing, AP. You’re missing that write-in campaigns are a joke.
Red Cloud on September 8, 2010 at 5:36 PM
EXACTLY!!!
bitsy on September 8, 2010 at 5:37 PM
SWEET!!! Can you imagine how painful it is to lose twice in two months???
THE CHOSEN ONE on September 8, 2010 at 5:38 PM
If the Alaska Republican Party is as bad as you say it is, then we need lots of good Alaskans to get elected to their local Republican Central Committees so that they can begin the process of cleaning out the state Party leadership.
In most places it is surprisingly easy to get elected to your local Republican Central Committees since they are always looking for people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and get involved.
It takes a long time and a lot of sunshine to clean out corruption, but the sooner the process starts, the sooner we will all see the benefits of an honest system.
Sarah Palin has shown us all what is possible when good people take stand to fix the system.
wren on September 8, 2010 at 5:38 PM
But lying about it irks me.
She didn’t fix the system. She got the started ball rolling. But she wasn’t the only hand in it.
upinak on September 8, 2010 at 5:46 PM
As a DE voter, I just might decide to stand with the purists and try ousting the incumbent RINO.
It’s hard to pass up all the entertainment value I get from watching these career politicians freaking out that they might actually have to go get a real job!
dinobalz on September 8, 2010 at 5:48 PM
Her choice of Miller was wise..However her wisdom in NH Senate endorsement is questionable..:)
Dire Straits on September 8, 2010 at 5:48 PM
Heh, Miller was right – she’s a political prostitute.
Schadenfreude on September 8, 2010 at 5:49 PM
yeah miller is sooo freaking classy. *rolls eyes*
upinak on September 8, 2010 at 5:51 PM
That isn’t what is happening here. The ‘tea party’ candidate won the Republican primary fair and square and now will be the Republican candidate in the general election against a Democrat. The incumbent candidate is running as a 3rd party write in candidate.
That would be like Sarah Palin winning the Republican nomination over Mitt Romney, but instead of bowing out, Romney decides to run as a 3rd party write-in candidate.
The Tea Party is playing by the rules. It’s the GOP establishment that is going bonkers.
bitsy on September 8, 2010 at 5:54 PM
That is why we need lots of people to step up to the plate to help fix what is broken in our government.
No one person ever does it alone. But we often underestimate the power we all have, as individuals, to help solve big problems.
Even just sharing information on forums like HotAir can help to shine a light on problems that need to be solved.
wren on September 8, 2010 at 5:56 PM
Oh Lord. How long have you been around?
upinak on September 8, 2010 at 5:58 PM
Stand back she is casting a delayed blast fireball.
Jerricho68 on September 8, 2010 at 6:00 PM
We are not purists and she has a shot of winning. It’s not just about torpedoing Castle and handing the seat to a Dem. Don’t buy all this crap the DE GOP has been pushing.
Joe Caps on September 8, 2010 at 6:07 PM
A couple of years on HotAir. Longer than that fighting political battles in blue states such as California and Massachusetts.
P.S. I appreciated all of your comments on the night Alaska’s Primary. You provided a lot of local insight on the election.
wren on September 8, 2010 at 6:22 PM
That wasn’t me. I was out hunting.
upinak on September 8, 2010 at 6:23 PM
He was prescient. Wasn’t classy at the time.
She isn’t classy now.
Schadenfreude on September 8, 2010 at 6:30 PM
She did a lot more fixing than most of the political yahoos out there and she was the face of that movement in Alaska so why can’t you give her a little credit?
In reading your posts today it seems you’ve gotten way more cynical and caustic than before. What happened? Somebody steal your wallet?!
JonPrichard on September 8, 2010 at 6:33 PM
Write-ins rarely work. People are too lazy to write in something when they could just hit a check mark.
Nethicus on September 8, 2010 at 6:34 PM
Just FYi wren, after reading your posts today on the EBJ thread I donated some money to Broden, got a yard sign sent to me, signed up to work the precinct and called a few friends to do the same. Took me about a half hour. My point is, I’m happy to see someone, like yourself, posting, fighting, encouraging people in a positive manner…that’s what works!
JonPrichard on September 8, 2010 at 6:36 PM
Write-ins usually don’t work because there’s always a good reason that a candidate has to resort to a write-in campaign in the first place…like they lost.
JonPrichard on September 8, 2010 at 6:38 PM
And you remind me of the last portion of the horse to cross the finish line.
Akzed on September 8, 2010 at 6:39 PM
If you can’t remember how to spell her name, just write in the her Party initials: WTF.
RBMN on September 8, 2010 at 6:42 PM
That’s not her rightful seat that Daddy gave her.
lizzie beth on September 8, 2010 at 6:49 PM
Thank you, Jon! I will be thinking of you on November 2 and hoping you are having a great time at Stephen Broden’s VICTORY party!
In the meantime, enjoy the campaigning you are doing! It can be tons of fun and I’m sure you will meet some terrific people in the process. And you will make people around the country extremely happy if you and your team can replace corrupt Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson with Stephen Broden in Texas!
I’ll be working on cleaning the House and the Senate from California too! Lots and lots of work to do here!
The 2010 election is too important for any of us to be sitting on the sidelines!
wren on September 8, 2010 at 6:57 PM
Senate seat. Six years. ;) Your point stands, though.
Mr Michael on September 8, 2010 at 7:11 PM
Ther is nothing like going through the public quivers of death (like Arlen Specter) before exiting the political arena.
This will be an ignominious, but altogether fitting, end to a political career Murkowski inherited from her father.
molonlabe28 on September 8, 2010 at 7:23 PM
When these politicians get a taste of power, it is nearly impossible to break the addictiion. Get a life, Mookow!!!
mobydutch on September 8, 2010 at 7:35 PM
What an idiot. She ought to play nice and the RINOs in the Senate will find her a nice lobbying job so she doesn’t have to snowbird in Alaska anymore…
drfredc on September 8, 2010 at 8:10 PM
The reference was to Begich’s seat, which will be up for election in 2014, not Murkowski’s seat.
JenWestin on September 8, 2010 at 8:35 PM
Who will betray you?
True_King on September 8, 2010 at 8:35 PM
Hey, Allahdumbit, stick your head back up your a** re Delaware comments.
O’Donnell is a heck of a lot better than that dried up dolt called Castle who is only rated 50% Conservative and is in favor of Cap and Tax… does that mean that you are in favor of Cap and Tax?…. if you are, then you don’t deserve to be allowed to post on this web site… you would be a redistribution socialist. O’Donnell would also be able to block any weird Senate moves because she would be seated immediately, not next year.
PhilipJames on September 8, 2010 at 9:05 PM
Murkowski is a sore loser cow if she does this. Nothing more than a female Crist, and it reveals her for what she is…nothing more than an elitist pol who thinks she is owed something. You lost you twit! Go home, come back and try again sometime. If the people who voted thought you should be there, you would have won. The people who wanted you in and didn’t vote? Sucks to be them.
J.
JohnnyMojo on September 8, 2010 at 9:09 PM
Her supporters have to remember how to spell her name instead of just put their hand out for a check?
So, she will get her family, one or two of her cronies and… then there will be the folks getting the name wrong.
Muckaboutski
Marchowsik
Murgowhisky
Morchowskie
Yup, a write-in has a lot going for it.
ajacksonian on September 8, 2010 at 9:24 PM
It occurs to me that the Republican leadership, if it wanted to, could take very strong steps to spike Murkowski’s write-in plans. Beyond just donating money to Miller, they could inform Murkowski that she’d be stripped of her seniority and committee assignments and (most importantly) any future earmarks or other pork.
Many Alaskans support Murkowski purely because she brings home the bacon, and indeed that was one of her main arguments against selecting a newcomer like Miller. Hence the knowledge by voters that Murkowski had lost that advantage would torpedo whatever small hope she might have for pulling off a write-in victory. And that in turn might deter her from running in the first place.
Of course if her motive is either pure revenge or else to extort a deal for a future job spot, then the above scenario doesn’t apply. And I suppose if she is sufficiently self-delusional to believe she can actually win a write-in campaign and maintain her powerful position, it also wouldn’t apply.
So never mind…
dpwiener on September 8, 2010 at 9:31 PM
If she helps the Dem win this seat, she can always flip to the Dems and they’ll help her out. Maybe.
Missy on September 8, 2010 at 10:07 PM
Those images of Senator Specter, the newest member of the democratic party, sitting in a minor committee at the ‘kids table’ has to leave flippers something to think about.
slickwillie2001 on September 8, 2010 at 10:23 PM
Yeah, you would think so. But look at what she’s doing. She’s already behaving in a Specteresque, sore-loser-opportunist manner. She doesn’t seem to be thinking this through very well.
Missy on September 8, 2010 at 10:57 PM
Face the facts: it’s a pain to write in a candidate. You have to be very dedicated to the person to take the time and trouble to do it. Since I expect the overwhelming majority of those who voted for her in the primary are cringing at her pathetic attempts to sell out the GOP, she won’t draw 3% in November as a write-in. You heard it hear first! And if Miller can’t make up for the 3% and a few more who will stay at home, then he doesn’t deserve to win. But I think he will do this easily, it will just be one more self-inflicted embarrassment upon the Murkowski family.
Adjoran on September 9, 2010 at 12:23 AM
Yup. Ruling Class mentality. Daddy gave me this Senate seat, fair and square. I own it.
Conservatives — you must throw each and every one of these scummy Senators-for-Life out of government, and never create another one.
Jaibones on September 9, 2010 at 12:24 AM
Daddy told me the world can’t get by without me and Daddy is always right.
WAAAAAAAAAAAAA….
MNHawk on September 9, 2010 at 7:48 AM
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