Joe Miller tells National Review Online that Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a member of the “ruling class,” is “refusing to relinquish power.”
Miller, Alaska’s GOP Senate nominee, defeated Murkowski in an August primary. In a press conference tonight in Anchorage, Murkowski announced her plans to continue in the race as a write-in candidate. Miller says that he has “been told directly” by senior GOP senators that Murkowski will now “lose her seniority and her committee positions.”
Miller says Murkowski’s move “should shock anyone with integrity,” calling it another example of how her “lifeblood is power.” She has, he says, a “disconnection from reality.”
“[Murkowski] is going back on her word,” Miller continues. “She gave her word several days before the primary that she would respect the primary outcome.”
“This is a write-in campaign for a person named Lisa Murkowski,” Miller says. “We are not terribly concerned about it. It doesn’t change our approach. Our calculus is that we win. It is now Joe Miller versus the liberals.”
Miller agrees with Sarah Palin, who earlier tonight in Iowa predicted that Murkowski’s effort will be “futile.” “It will end in failure,” Miller says. “She is going to throw a lot of money away just to mud sling.”
UPDATE:
Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, NRSC chair, reacts:
“Republican primary voters spoke when they nominated Joe Miller in Alaska, and I am deeply disappointed in Senator Lisa Murkowski’s decision to ignore that clear message and wage a write-in candidacy. The NRSC stands firmly behind Joe Miller’s nomination, and we will ensure that he has all of the resources that he needs in order to win this November.”
Sen. Mitch McConnell, Senate GOP leader, weighs in:
“Senate Republicans informed Lisa Murkowski that we will respect the will of the voters in Alaska and support the Republican nominee, Joe Miller. I informed her that by choosing to run a campaign against the Republican nominee, she no longer has my support for serving in any leadership roles, and I have accepted her letter of resignation from Senate leadership. Lisa has served her state and our party with distinction, but Republicans acknowledge the decision Alaskans made and join them in support of the Republican nominee, Joe Miller—the next Senator for Alaska.”