Defeat Seems Imminent for Gov. Murkowski in GOP Race

[deadparrot]

After a 22-year Senate career spent in the long shadow of senior Alaska Republican colleague Ted Stevens, Republican Frank H. Murkowski stepped onto center stage in November 2002 as he was elected as governor of his home state.

But the bright light that then bathed Murkowski began to fade almost from the moment he was sworn in a month later. His term has been so filled with turbulence and controversy, and his public approval ratings have dropped so low, that the failure of his bid for a second term in next Tuesday’s Alaska Republican primary appears not just possible — it appears a near-certainty.

A poll of 514 likely Republican primary voters conducted by Dave Dittman, a former Murkowski consultant, and released Monday had Murkowski running a distant third in the GOP contest. The poll showed former Wasilla Mayor Sarah Palin leading with support from 40 percent of the respondents to 29 percent for former state Sen. John Binkley; Murkowski had just 17 percent. Undecided voters made up 14 percent of those surveyed, and the poll had a 4.3 percent margin of error.

Sensing Murkowski’s vulnerability, Palin and Binkley did not hesitate to launch their bids early, even though the incumbent hedged about his own plans until just six days prior to the June 1 candidate filing deadline. And the return candidacy of popular former two-term Democratic Gov. Tony Knowles, who held the seat immediately prior to Murkowski, appeared to raise the sense of urgency among Republicans to replace the unpopular incumbent as their nominee.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/cq/20060817/pl_cq_politics/defeatseemsimminentforgovmurkowskiingoprace

[skipos]

1. Knowles would easily beat Murkowski, no?

I don't know much about the other contenders.

[Daylin Byak]

2. Here's what i'm worried about in this

It's obious we won't see good 'ol frank in november, i'm scared that the main GOP contender Sarah Pallin will beat Murkowski in the primary and walk all over Knowles in november cause Alaska is so goddamn republican.

[roguevalley]

3. Palin has skeletons in her closet as mayor of Wasilla. I can't remember

it but didn't they want to recall her? She was in a BIG brouhaha a few ago.

[Toots]

4. Didn't Murkowski guarantee he would win the election if he ran?

I seem to remember somewhere I heard Murkowski guaranteed Alaska he would win if he chose to run. He just had all new machines placed in the voting booths and his Administration still refuses to give up official voting results from '04 election even though the Alaska Democrats sued in court and won to have those results given to them. I think Murkowski knows something and he will probable "win" another one. The results from this election will never see the light of day either..