Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-AK) committed that Senate Republicans will support Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s (R-AK) reelection bid in 2022 despite former President Donald Trump advocating that the GOP “get rid of” the 17 Republicans in Congress who voted against him during his second impeachment, CNN reports.
Murkowski Will Be First to Face Voters
“Just one Republican senator that voted to convict President Donald Trump on Saturday has to face voters next year. But she does not seem to care about the political fallout,” Politico reports.
Said Murkowski: “If I can’t say what I believe that our president should stand for, then why should I ask Alaskans to stand with me? This was consequential on many levels, but I cannot allow the significance of my vote, to be devalued by whether or not I feel that this is helpful for my political ambitions.”
Gross Grabs Lead In Alaska Senate Race
A new Harstad Research poll in Alaska finds Al Gross (I) edging Sen. Dan Sullivan (R) in the U.S. Senate race, 47% to 46%.
Democrats Flood Alaska Senate Race with Money
Politico: “New money from outside groups and small dollar donors are flooding into Alaska, where independent Al Gross, who is backed by state and national Democrats, is aiming to unseat first-term GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan. The race has been on the edges of the Senate map for months, potentially competitive but receiving far less attention than some more expensive and geographically closer contests.”
“But now a new influx of outside spending and grassroots dollars into Gross’ campaign have given Democrats a major financial edge in the state in the final four weeks.”
Palin Hints She May Challenge Murkowski
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) might get a primary challenge from former Gov. Sarah Palin (R) in her 2022 campaign, according to E&E News.
Alaska Senate Race Is Tied
A new Public Policy Polling survey in Alaska finds challenger Al Gross (I) in a dead with with Sen. Dan Sullivan (R) for U.S. Senate, 43% to 43%, with 12% unsure.
Protesters with Caribou Heart Interrupted Event
Protesters carrying a banner and a caribou heart interrupted a event in Anchorage that launched Sen. Dan Sullivan’s (R-AK) campaign for re-election to the U.S. Senate, the Anchorage Daily News reports.
Alaska Governor Drops out of Campaign
Alaska Gov. Bill Walker (I) announced he is dropping his bid for re-election, and is endorsing Mark Begich (D) against Mike Dunleavy (R), the Anchorage Daily News reports.
Walker made the announcement three days after former Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott (I) stepped down from both his office and the re-election campaign over unspecified “inappropriate comments” he made to a woman.
Said Walker: “In the time remaining, it has become clear we cannot win a three-way race. The decisions was made that at this point, Begich has the better odds. Alaskans deserve a competitive race and Alaskans deserve a choice other than Mike Dunleavey.”
Trump Says Murkowski ‘Will Never Recover’
President Trump predicted that Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) “will never recover” politically for her vote against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh as he celebrated his nominee’s ascension following an extraordinarily brutal confirmation process, the Washington Post reports.
He added: “I think the people from Alaska will never forgive her for what she did.”
For members: How Murkowski Could Decide Control of the Senate
Bonus Quote of the Day
“Hey Lisa Murkowski, I can see 2022 from my house…”
— Sarah Palin, on Twitter.
Murkowski Unfazed by Trump Criticism
After President Trump tweeted that Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) “really let the Republicans, and our country, down” by voting against the motion to proceed on health care legislation, the Alaska senator told NBC News, “I am in a position where I’m not looking to reelection until 2022.”
She added: “And quite honestly, I don’t think it’s wise to be operating on a daily basis thinking about what a statement or a response that causes you to be fearful of your electoral prospects.”
Miller Will Run as Libertarian Against Murkowski
Two-time U.S. Senate candidate Joe Miller said he will try again to unseat Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) by replacing Cean Stevens as the Libertarian candidate on the Nov. 8 general election ballot, the Alaska Dispatch News reports.
Murkowski Gets Surprise Primary Challenger
Former Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan (R) filed to face Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in the Republican primary moments before the candidate deadline Wednesday, the Alaska Dispatch News reports.
“Sullivan, who faced a term limit when he left the top city office after six years last year, was a surprise candidate when he showed up at the state elections office about 10 minutes before the doors closed at 5 p.m.”
Palin Hints at Possible Senate Bid
Former Gov. Sarah Palin (R) “keeps raising questions about whether she plans on running against Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK),” according to the Midnight Sun.
“First she said it was a possibility in a radio interview, then she put her Arizona home on the market, now we’re hearing murmurs from Washington D.C. that she is seriously considering the possibility.”
Quote of the Day
“I think you never say never in politics.”
— Former Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK), quoted by Politico, when asked whether he’d run against Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in 2016.
Begich Finally Concedes Senate Race
Alaska Dispatch News: “After holding on to dwindling hope for days, Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK) on Monday conceded he had lost his U.S. Senate race to Republican Dan Sullivan. With the concession coming nearly two weeks after the Nov. 4 general election and with few votes left to count, the statement was largely a formality.”
The Worst Political Ad of 2014
A controversial ad by Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK) attempted to link former state Attorney General Dan Sullivan (R) to an allegedly lax record on sentencing sex offenders but it backfired badly.
The Fix: “Begich pulled the ad — but the damage was very much done. Up until that point — early September — Begich had been the candidate with the momentum, maintaining a steady polling edge over Sullivan despite the conservative nature of the state. The Active ad ended that momentum. From that point onward, Begich’s numbers tumbled while Sullivan’s soared.”
Sullivan Wins Senate Seat in Alaska
Dan Sullivan (R) has defeated Sen. Mark Begich (D) in Alaska, according to the Associated Press.
“The Alaska race was too close to call on Election Night last week, with Sullivan up by about 8,100 votes, but it became evident Tuesday when the state began counting about 20,000 of absentee and questioned ballots that Begich could not overcome Sullivan.”
