KETCHIKAN, Alaska — Defying the anti-establishment anger, Republican Sen. Lisa Murkow ski forcefully makes her case for another term. “Seniority actually means something in the Senate,” she insists at a fundraiser in this southeast Alaska tourist and fishing town.
Murkowski delivered that message three days before a plane crash killed former Sen. Ted Stevens, who for four decades delivered billions in federal dollars for roads, bridges, ports, pipelines and military projects that transformed the 49th state.
Stevens’ legacy looms large in Tuesday’s GOP primary, in which Murkowski is trying to fend off Joe Miller, a decorated combat veteran, former judge and blame-Washington candidate backed by Tea Party activists and ex-Gov. Sarah Palin.
Murkowski, 53, considered Stevens a mentor. He was with her at a recent campaign event and planned to join her as the primary approached. After Stevens died in the Aug. 9 crash, Murkowski changed her Facebook photo from one of her family to pictures of her and Stevens, 86.
Miller, a graduate of Yale Law School and West Point, has never held elective office. He calls Murkowski a late voice to the conservative chorus. Murkow ski has been known as a centrist, and Miller notes she has voted with Democrats.
