Editing Lisa Murkowski (section)

=== Appointment ===
In December 2002, Murkowski—while a member of the state House—was appointed by her father, Governor [[Frank Murkowski]], to fill his own U.S. Senate seat made vacant when he resigned from the Senate after being elected governor. The appointment caused controversy in Alaska. Many voters disapproved of the [[nepotism]]. Her appointment eventually resulted in a referendum that stripped the governor of the power to directly appoint replacement senators.<ref name="Volz4">{{cite news|last1=Volz|first1=Matt|title=Voters approve Senate vacancy initiative|url=http://peninsulaclarion.com/stories/110304/elections_1103ele06001.shtml|access-date=July 28, 2017|work=peninsulaclarion.com|publisher=Peninsula Clarion|date=November 3, 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170729003938/http://peninsulaclarion.com/stories/110304/elections_1103ele06001.shtml|archive-date=July 29, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> Along with others eligible to be considered, future Alaska governor [[Sarah Palin]] interviewed for the seat.<ref name="Mitchell" /> Murkowski was sworn in on January 7, 2003.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2003/01/08/daughter-fills-dads-senate-seat | title=Daughter fills dad's Senate seat | website=[[Chicago Tribune]] | date=January 8, 2003 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Senators of the United States |url=https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/resources/pdf/chronlist.pdf |website=[[United States Senate|senate.gov]] |access-date=7 December 2024 |page=74}}</ref>