Miller Time! Alaska Primary Results 2010 - Another Tea Party Victory? Alaska's Joe Miller (will likely) Topple Murkowski

August 25, 2010

by the Left Coast Rebel

This one's not official yet but it looks like Tea Party fav., US Senate republican candidate Joe Miller may take out incumbent, establishment GOP senator Lisa Murkowski. Here are the results as of 8:00 AM, PST:

U.S. SENATE (R)
Joe Miller (R) 45,909 51.09% Lisa Murkowski (R) 43,949 48.91%

As you can see, this has come down to the wire and is still too close to call. Anchorage Daily News reports:

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski is battling for her political life this morning against Republican primary challenger Joe Miller, the tea party-backed candidate who has a slim lead as ballots continue to be counted.
Miller, a Fairbanks attorney, led from when the first returns came in Tuesday night and was on the verge of pulling off one of the biggest election upsets ever in Alaska.

With 429 of 438 precincts counted this morning,, Miller had 45,909 votes (51 percent) to 43,949 (49 percent) for Murkowski.

Miller credited the support of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for his lead.

"I'm absolutely certain that was pivotal," he said.

Murkowski on Tuesday night took a shot at Palin, saying that when Palin resigned as governor last summer she said she would use her new national role to help out Alaska.

"I think she's out for her own self-interest. I don't think she's out for Alaska's interest," Murkowski said as she waited at her campaign headquarters for results to come in.

Miller made a triumphant entrance to election central at the Egan Center in downtown Anchorage on Tuesday night, surrounded by loudly cheering supporters with red-white-and-blue balloons.

Right Klik introduced us to Joe Miller recently:

Who is this Joe Miller? Miller is a US Army veteran who served in the First Gulf War, receiving a Bronze Star for his leadership. He's a lawyer who served as State Magistrate, Superior Court Master for the Fourth Judicial District, Acting State District Court Judge, and as U.S. Magistrate Judge in Fairbanks. In many of these posts - he was the youngest to serve in history. In 2004, he ran for State Representative in a Democratic district and lost by the closest margin the incumbent ever faced. In 2010, he decided to challenge Lisa Murkowski for US Senate - Alaska and the nation will be better off with him in office.

On the issues, Miller is right where the conservative movement needs to be. He's pro-life (Alaska Right to Life endorsed). He supports complete repeal of Obamacare and instituting free market reforms to health care. He opposes cap and trade. He supports a limited government and said, "We have little time to restore constitutional limits on federal power. I will be a catalyst to move those in Congress to make the tough, principled decisions needed to bring Washington back to the limited role anticipated by our Founders. We must act now."