Alaska tea party historic FAIL

[ProSense]

Murkowski becomes 1st write-in senator since '54

By BECKY BOHRER, Associated Press

JUNEAU, Alaska – History, the GOP, the tea party, Sarah Palin and her own mouthful of a name worked against her. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski conquered them all Wednesday, becoming the first Senate candidate in more than 50 years to win a write-in campaign.

The victory is a remarkable comeback for Murkowski, who lost to political newcomer Joe Miller in the GOP primary, and a humbling moment for Palin, the former Alaska governor, 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate and Murkowski nemesis whose support was not enough to get Miller through an election in her own backyard.

The outcome became clear after a tedious week of counting handwritten ballots. Alaska election officials confirmed they had only about 700 votes left to count, with Murkowski ahead by 10,400 votes. Miller has challenged 8,153 of the ballots counted for Murkowski, but he would still be behind even if he won every challenge.

<...>

Murkowski will return to Washington owing nothing to tea party activists, who largely opposed her, or to the Republican Party, which supported Miller after the primary. Though she plans to caucus with Republicans, she said she won't be beholden to any special interests or party — an initial sign that she may not try to reclaim her leadership post within the GOP conference. She voluntarily resigned it in deciding to make her outsider run.

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[ClassWarrior]

1. Because the teabagger without the (R) behind her name won?

:shrug:

NGU.

[ProSense]

2. Yes, and because

she can officially tell Palin to suck wind.

[ClassWarrior]

6. As if.

NGU.

[Chulanowa]

7. Murkowski isn't a teabagger

She's a corrupt beneficiary of nepotism, sure. But she's not the batfuck-insane fascist dickweed that Miller was. I hold no illusions of her being good for a goddamn thing, but she's one I can confidently say is outside the teabag range.

[ClassWarrior]

15. They're all batfuck-insane fascist dickweeds. Just because some of them are performing...

...kabuki theatre to make the others look good, that doesn't make it any less so.

NGU.

[Walk dont run]

16. Historic fail.

Let's see, Alaska just elected a woman replublican to the US Senate.

They did not elect another Republican that was prefered by the Tea party movement that began its existance about 18 months ago.

HISTORIC! We only lost 6 seats in the Senate and 61 in the House of Representatives.
What a historic defeat for the Teabaggers! We Owned them!

[leftynyc]

19. Are you dense?

The historic part is for the first time since 1954 a write in candidate was elected senator. That her opponent was a teabagging palin clone is gravy. Now you and your 15 posts should go be stupid someplace else.

[ClassWarrior]

20. And Lisa would NEVER pander to those Teabaggers who almost defeated her...

...now that she's back in. Nawww. She's going to wear love beads and sing Kumbayah with Dennis Kucinich now.

:rofl:

NGU.

[SKKY]

17. +1.

Why we're so elated Murkowski won is beyond me.

[blue sky at night]

3. thanks.....what a nice post!

i have been avoiding politics for the last few weeks...i can barely stand to listen to the radio of late. your post is a real pick up, as i wasn't aware of the outcome up in AK.

[Radical Activist]

4. But will she remain a whore for the fossil fuel industry?

[xultar]

5. I believe Palin was refutiated by her own state.

[demwing]

23. I think Palin mis-refudi-underesti-mationed Murkowski

DOH!

[K8-EEE]

8. Fabulous FR Freakout, moran tears taste like honey:

"Everyone should shun Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski as a discussing excuses for a human being."

"What she did to win this election is demonstrate just how completely corrupt and power hungry she is. Let no man treat her as a human, but instead look upon her with contempt for the office she took out of pure greed for power."

:rofl:

[boppers]

11. LOL @ "discussing excuses"

Spellcheck+Moran=Pure Hilarity.

[rpannier]

13. What I find amusing from the comments is this paty

What she did to win this election is demonstrate just how completely corrupt...
She won as the write-in candidate.
Not sure how that makes her corrupt.

[K8-EEE]

18. I know what's more "grass rootsy" than a write in campaign?

THEY SHOULD BE THRILLED, POWER TO THE PEOPLE, HAHAHAHA!

[alcibiades_mystery]

9. Would be great if her first act was to jump on board DADT repeal

What's she got to lose, really? Get on the right side of history, and put up two middle fingers to the crazies.

They should be lobbying the lady for real.

[progressoid]

10. "owing nothing to tea party activists, Republicans; won't be beholden to any special interests..."

That implies that she might be able to support some things she might not have as a Republican. I'm not holding my breath for any concessions from her.

[golfguru]

12. Why she wants to Caucus with repuglicans?

Same people who took her committee positions away and funded
Miller's campaign?

[rpannier]

14. They didn't take it away

McConnell let her keep it and she resigned her position

Giving the Devil his due, McConnell made a politically smart decision (or someone else told him what to do). He avoided a potentially ugly confrontation with a woman who could have chosen to jump ship.
If dingus had won, he'd have been a Republican. She won and she's caucusing with them.

DeMint was the one who wanted her out.

[jenmito]

21. I'm surprised it's not being reported as "Sarah Palin's Historic FAIL"!

Everyone in the media was saying this would be SO damaging to Palin if Miller lost. I haven't seen much commentary on THAT. (I'm not surprised at ALL, really.)

[tanyev]

22. "a humbling moment for Palin"

Bullshit. There's no word for humble in Palinese.

[craigmatic]

24. Well maybe she now has the leeway to support the dems' agenda in the lame duck session.

I doubt it though.