It’s just about official: Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), who lost her Republican primary to Tea Party-backed candidate Joe Miller, is reportedly launching a write-in candidacy for the general election later today.
The Anchorage Daily News reports that the invitations for the campaign kickoff have already gone out:
Lisa Murkowski supporters are urging people to come out tonight for what’s being called a “campaign kick off,” although her campaign manager isn’t ready to say that she’s decided to run.
Bonnie Jack, who was a Murkowski campaign elections observer for the count of absentee votes, sent out an email this morning. “Join us at the Kick-off of Senator Lisa’s campaign — with a theme of “write in her name in and fill in the oval.”
The paper also reports that Murkowski’s cousin Mary Gore wrote on her Facebook page today: “today is big….my cousin will announce at 5:00 today that she will run as a write-in candidate for US Senate. GO LISA GO! If you live in Anchorage, come join the party at the Dena’ina Center. Doors open early. Come be a part of history AND learn how to spell her last name correctly for the ballot!”
Murkowski’s write-in candidacy should create a very interesting three-way race in this deep-red state between Murkowski and the Republican Miller, plus the Democratic nominee, Sitka Mayor Scott McAdams. The only poll of that match-up was three weeks ago from Public Policy Polling, before Murkowski had conceded the primary, which gave Miller 38%, Murkowski 34% and McAdams 22%. Let’s see how Murkowski’s primary concession and the particular complications of a write-in bid affect things.
