When I last spoke to the NRSC communications shop on Thursday, I was told the NRSC would support Senator Lisa Murkowski, Alaska Republican. If her challenger, Republican Joe Miller won the primary, though, the NRSC would then support Mr. Miller.
An NRSC spokesman touted that they always supported incumbent GOP senators in any primary, yet new reports (h/t CQ) today show that Senator John Cornyn, Texas Republican and head of the NRSC, told Mr. Miller that the NRSC would remain neutral during the final count of votes in Alaska.
Apparently, professed protocol at the NRSC has changed some over the weekend. A call was placed early in the afternoon on Monday to the NRSC regarding it’s stance in the primary.
Any chance for Ms. Murkowski to run on the Libertarian ticket looks doubtful. Big Government is reporting Alaska’s Libertarian Party is saying “no thank you” to the Senator:
Sen. Murkowski voted for TARP. She voted to bailout Fannie and Freddie. Although no one from her campaign had approached us about her running as a Libertarian, the speculation had reached the point where we felt we had to take a clear stand.
We did the hard work to get a Libertarian candidate on the ballot. We didn’t do that hard work to then nominate someone with Sen. Murkowski’s record.
Votes continue to be tallied in Alaska in this tight primary Senate race.
