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Alaska Libertarians Courted in GOP Senate Fight

By Robert Stacy McCain on 8.27.10 @ 3:03AM

Alaska's Libertarian Party suddenly finds itself in the news -- and the object of political courtship -- as a result of Joe Miller's apparent upset of Sen. Lisa Murkowski in Tuesday's GOP Senate primary.

Under Alaska law, if Murkowksi is defeated in the Republican primary, her only other option to be on the Nov. 2 ballot would be for her to obtain the nomination of another party. Murkowski's supporters are trying to persuade LP Senate candidate Frederick "Dave" Haase to consider stepping aside so that she could run on the Libertarian ticket -- a move that Haase and state LP officials have so far refused to rule out.

In a telephone interview late Thursday, one LP source in Anchorage told me that although Haase has expressed admiration for Murkowski, he's also a "huge fan of Sarah Palin."

Palin's June endorsement of Miller has been widely credited with fueling his stunning upset of Murkowski. The Anchorage source suggested that a phone call from Palin to Haase could have a decisive influence in persuading the Libertarian candidate to reject the Murkowski overtures. (Palin, by the way, will speak Saturday at Glenn Beck's "Restoring Honor" rally in D.C.)

Meanwhile, Alaska Libertarian chairman Scott Kohlhass told KTUU in Anchorage that if Haase were to step aside as the party's candidate, the choice of Haase's replacement would be up to the LP executive committee.

With 100% of the Election Day ballots counted, Miller had a 1,668-vote margin over the incumbent Murkowski, however thousands of absentee ballots remain to be counted, a process that will begin Tuesday. The number of GOP absentee ballots is unknown, although if the widely-cited estimate of 8,000 is accurate, Murkowski would need to get 60% of those votes to overturn Tuesday's result.

Miller's conservative supporters were outraged Thursday after it was reported that the National Republican Senatorial Committee was sending its general counsel Sean Cairncross to Alaska to assist Murkowski in any possible recount scenario. Meanwhile, the Miller campaign sent out a fundraising appeal to its supporters, seeking to fund what Erick Erickson of Red State termed a "ballot integrity program."

topics:
Sarah Palin, Libertarianism, Alaska, Election 2010

View all comments (15) | Leave a comment

Jmulcahy| 8.27.10 @ 4:19AM

If Murkowski runs on the Libertarian Party ticket, the Libertarian Party ceases to have any meaning or relevance anywhere. If Murkowski is your candidate what is your party platform? Miller is more of a libertarian.

Warrior| 8.27.10 @ 3:12PM

While I agree. Remember the Republicans allow Ron Paul in even though he's a Libertarian. Maybe this is what they mean by having a big tent?

Alan Brooks| 8.27.10 @ 4:03PM

Libertopianism is as outmoded as Communism.

IM:
Ideological Mausoleum.

Tim*| 8.27.10 @ 5:12PM

Actually Brooks , your opinion is as outmoded as Communism.

Alan Brooks| 8.27.10 @ 8:35PM

Well, then its all pretty bad, eh?
As for you, well... that is hard to say, Tim; you will have to reveal something about yourself, starting with your name. You call yourself
"Tim*"--
does that mean your name isn't really Tim? What are you, an FBI agent, Agent 000?

Tim*| 8.28.10 @ 7:31AM

If I told ya , I'd have to kill ya.

Ran / Si Vis Pacem| 8.27.10 @ 8:48AM

Miller is being Frankened by the GOP? This, while she actively courts Alaska's Libertarian Party as an alternate ticket? Who is more corrupt here... Murky or the GOP?

kingsmill| 8.27.10 @ 9:26AM

The Libertarian Party, if they act as Murkowski's butt boys, will immediately go from a party of idealistic cranks, to the party of shameless hacks.

Enabling the re-election of RINOs is no way to fight statism.

Interested Conservative| 8.27.10 @ 9:55AM

A few questions - I understand the motives for the ALP - 1) sheer cash - $1m from Murkowski, and 2) more nobly, a 5% vote gets them a ballot line going forward.

That said, what's to stop them from giving the spot to Miller? He runs on both the R and ALP lines.

Obvious questions - does Alaska add the votes together, or could he lose if he splits his own vote? Wouldn't the ALP gain more power this way, by acting as a large cohort of otherwise natural GOP voters? Wouldn't this be very advantageous for conservatives, or would it drive liberal/moderate GOP voters to the left? Is it an Alaskan peculiarity or could this spread (I recall Doug Hoffman's troubles in NY-23 as the GOP hierarchy *^#(%#(^% him.)

Regardless, the NRSC seems intent on further discrediting itself.

Amanda| 8.27.10 @ 12:38PM

After seeing what the asshat republican establishment tried to do to to Michelle Bauchmann, Nikki Haley and Palin, why do we fool ourselves into thinking the lot of them have any ethics? They can put whatever spin they want to their actions, however, as my grandmother used to say, "the proof is in the pudding".

Kyle| 8.27.10 @ 2:10PM

I'd like to know, where is the establishment conservative media on this? Where's the Corner at National Review and Fox News? They are not touching this with a 10' pole. Where's Powerline? This is no accident that the well established conservative media is staying quiet on this. They may mention it but express no opinion on it. If the more establish conservative media outlets would get out in front of this, the NRSC would likely back off.

MikeN| 8.27.10 @ 3:41PM

If she were compatible with libertarians, shw would have won the primary.

another rino quits the party| 8.27.10 @ 9:40PM

lisa scuzzyfava-crist-murkowski

bye bye traitors

66 days and 11 hours to go....

John DuBose| 8.29.10 @ 10:05AM

Just so everyone knows. From time to time, some big money Republicans have sponsored primary challenges to Ron Paul. They wasted their money when he won big in the primary.

Spicy Joker| 8.29.10 @ 9:49PM

The defection of Charlie Crist and the coming defection of Lisa Murkowski PROVE that conservatives are right to reject so-called moderates. These so-called moderates aren't moderate out of conviction but out of convenience. If Crist and Murkowiski were really Republicans, they'd stay in the party, not try to defeat it.