Knowles to Challenge Murkowski for Alaska Senate Seat

[Nambe]

Former two-term Alaska Gov. Tony Knowles (search) spread the word Tuesday that he intends to challenge appointed Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski next year, heartening Democrats who courted him to seek a seat the party last held more than two decades ago.

"I have decided to be a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2004," Knowles wrote in a letter addressed to residents of the state. "Later this year, I will make a formal announcement kicking off my campaign," he wrote in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press.

Knowles made his intentions known as another Democrat, Rep. Joseph Hoeffel of Pennsylvania, said he would file a formal statement of candidacy to challenge four- term GOP Sen. Arlen Specter. Specter also faces a primary challenge from conservative Rep. Pat Toomey.

Democrats last held a Senate seat in Pennsylvania nearly a decade ago; it was 1981 in Alaska.---

[m_h_lovecraft]

1. Sweet.

Alaskans are getting pretty pissed at the Murkowski name these days.

[RichV]

2. Are they?

What's the 411? I'm out of the loop on Alaskan matters.

[lancasterdem]

3. As a Pennsylvanian

I can't wait to get a Dem senator. I don't know if Hoeffel can pull it off, though. BTW, does Knowles have a decent shot at winning?

[jos]

4. Good news

Knowles was twice elected Governor. Dems should hope Lisa M. wins the primary because she's very unpopular now.

[goobergunch]

5. Very very good

Knowles had no serious opposition in 1998 and makes this race a Toss-Up due to the sinking popularity of the Murkowski family.

[Hawkeye-X]

9. Actually

The name Murkowski is now becoming more and more hated in Alaska from my understanding of Alaskan politics (I'm not from Alaska, but I have a good friend who moved to Fairbanks when she was very young).

I think Knowles will grab the AK seat as well as watching Frank "Murk" Murkowski go down as one-termer like * in 2006.

Hawkeye-X

[Bandit]

6. This is great and he very well could win but...

Knowles is quite conservative. He has backed the republicans every time on opening Alaska up for developement but he is a Democrat so it would still be a plus. He has very good name recognition.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

7. Protect ANWR, Yes!!! Look at the other issues:

While I certainly disagree with his views on ANWR Mr. Knowles is a Democrat who is not in line with the left/liberal
branch of the party but is not some right-wingnut such as Zell Miller. Give him a chance to proove himself. For example, he is strongly opposed to Tax Vouchers for private school options. As a moderate Democrat he may not be inclined to support everything that Bush wants (massive tax cuts/extreame judicial nomminees/anti-labor) like that sorry excuse from Georgia does! Besides, would you really rather have another Murkowski?

Copy this link to see Mr. Knowles stances:

http://www.issues2000.org/Tony_Knowles.htm

[ButterflyBlood]

8. while I don't agree with his ANWR stance either

there is no way an anti-drilling candidate could get elected in Alaska.

[newyawker99]

10. Hi lancasterdem!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Bandit]

13. I will vote for Tony

I have lived under his administration and though I disagreed with much ~ things were a whole lot better under Knowles than under Murkowski. I believe Knowles has a very good chance of kicking Lisa Murkowski out of the Senate. People are not happy with the new administration. Murkowski lied blatantly during his campaign and people are noticing. Lisa is just seen as a corporate shill for her father.

[m_h_lovecraft]

14. Her biggest problem

Besides being Frank's daughter, is that she was perceived as much more of an independent while serving the state legislature, but since she went to DC, she's taking her cues from the party itself. She has been to her ownself untrue, and Alaskans know it.

[David__77]

11. As a Democrat who supports nuclear power...

I can say that just because someone disagrees with the "Left" convention on a certain issue or set of issues, doesn't mean they will be bad on the rest! I'll take Tony Knowles over what Alaska has offered up lately. It would be ideal if the "Alaska Independence Party" or some other conservative outfit opposed Murkowski in the election as well...

[LauraK]

15. He probably has no choice with so much money at stake.

[David__77]

12. We need STRONG candidates in all these states.

We need some starpower to keep the GOPers on the run. We must not be on the defensive. Really, on the outs, we haven't much to lose...

[jiacinto]

16. Good--we have competetive candidates in those races now

But Knowles has a hard road of ahead of him.

[dusty64]

17. Excellent news.

Knowles was elected statewide twice and murkowski 0. I think the voters are sick of the cronyism and I've heard her dad is not a all popular. This is looking good.

[baby_bear]

18. This is great

Talk about nepotism...naming your own daughter to fill your vacancy. Well, she's pretty vacant all right. She's not as blatantly obnoxious as Dad, but the politics are the same, all right.

Thanks for the post.

s_m

[roguevalley]

19. it would mean the coming of the apocalypse

if Knowles won. Alaska voting a Dem into a major role?
The world would definitely be turning. :)

[GOPBasher]

20. Question: How progressive is Knowles?

I know that the Dem party is almost non-existent in Alaska, like the Republican party in Hawaii. So, I'm wondering, is Knowles just a DINO? How far left is he? I can't see a real liberal Democrat as having any chance in that state, but I hope I'm wrong.

[ButterflyBlood]

21. he's fairly liberal from what i've heard

not a Zell Miller. This is because Alaska is more of a libertarian state than a place like Utah or Alabama, so his socially liberal views don't hurt him too much. Even Ted Stevens is fairly socially liberal and pro-choice. Knowles does support ANWR drilling and is pretty weak on the environment but there's no candidate who isn't that can get elected in Alaska.