Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski last night conceded the GOP nomination to conservative rival Joe Miller. She is the second Republican Senator to be unseated by a rock-ribbed conservative candidate after moderate incumbent Bob Bennett of Utah lost to staunch conservative Mike Lee.
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), chairman of the Senate Conservatives Fund, announced his endorsement of Miller last night, vowing to raise support for the campaign.
“I'm proud to announce that the Senate Conservatives Fund will add Joe Miller to its list of endorsed candidates, and will immediately begin working to raise support for his campaign,” DeMint announced after the Murkowski concession.
“I want to congratulate Joe Miller on his remarkable victory tonight and offer him my full support,” DeMint said. “He pulled off the upset victory of the year because he ran on principles and because Alaskans, like all Americans, want to stop to the massive spending, bailouts, and debt that are bankrupting our country.”
“Joe Miller's victory should be a wake-up call to politicians who go to Washington to bring home the bacon. Voters are saying ‘We're not willing to bankrupt the country to benefit ourselves,’” DeMint continued. “Now it's time for Republicans to unite behind Joe Miller and help him win this important race in November.”
The Senate Conservatives Fund is, “… a political action committee dedicated to electing true conservatives to the U.S. Senate. SCF backs underdog candidates who are overlooked or even opposed by the Washington establishment.”
The fund is also supporting Pat Toomey in Pennsylvania, Marco Rubio in Florida, Ken Buck in Colorado, Rand Paul in Kentucky, Mike Lee in Utah, Sharron Angle in Nevada, Ron Johnson in Wisconsin, and Dino Rossi in Washington.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), congratulated Miller and offered the group’s support.
“After a hard-fought primary contest, I offer my sincere congratulations to Joe Miller and offer him my strong support,” Cornyn said. “The NRSC is committed to doing everything that we can in order to ensure Joe Miller's victory this November, and I have no doubt that he will be elected as the next U.S. senator from Alaska.”
Cornyn backed incumbent Murkowski in the primary, a move many GOP voters and donors have questioned throughout the primary process. Today’s Republican Party is flexing its muscles at the grassroots level demanding the establishment stay out of the primaries.
