Editing Lisa Murkowski (section)

====2010====
{{See also|2010 United States Senate election in Alaska|Miller v. Campbell}}
Murkowski faced a challenge from [[Joe Miller (Alaska politician)|Joe Miller]], a former [[United States magistrate judge|U.S. magistrate judge]] supported by former [[Governor of Alaska|Governor]] [[Sarah Palin]],<ref>{{Cite news|agency=[[Associated Press]]|title=Murkowski Trails in Tight Alaska Primary|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/murkowski-trails-in-tight-alaska-primary/|access-date=January 8, 2021|publisher=[[CBS News]]|language=en-US|archive-date=January 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210110111217/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/murkowski-trails-in-tight-alaska-primary/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/26/us/politics/26primaries.html|title=Murkowski of Alaska Locked in a Tight Senate Race|last=Cave|first=Damien|date=August 25, 2010|work=[[New York Times]]|quote=Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, whose family has held a decades-long grip on one of the state's two Senate seats, was in a surprisingly tight race Wednesday morning against an insurgent candidate, a Tea Party favorite who received the backing of Sarah Palin.|access-date=August 25, 2010|archive-date=August 25, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100825200125/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/26/us/politics/26primaries.html|url-status=live}}</ref> in the August 24, 2010, [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] primary election. The initial results showed Murkowski trailing Miller, 51–49%, with absentee ballots yet to be tallied.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.elections.alaska.gov/results/10PRIM/data/results.htm|title=State of Alaska 2010 Primary Election, August 24, 2010 Unofficial Results|date=August 25, 2010|work=[[Alaska Secretary of State]]|access-date=August 25, 2010|archive-date=April 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190425163117/http://www.elections.alaska.gov/results/10PRIM/data/results.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> After the first round of absentee ballots was counted on August 31, Murkowski conceded, saying that she did not believe that Miller's lead could be overcome in the next round of absentee vote counting.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/08/31/99960/alaska-absentee-count-looks-like.html|title=It's another Tea Party win as Alaska's Murkowski concedes|last=Cockerham|first=Sean|date=August 31, 2010|work=[[Anchorage Daily News]]|quote=Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski late Tuesday conceded the Republican primary election to Joe Miller, the Tea-Party backed challenger who maintained his Election Day lead after thousands of additional absentee and other ballots were counted through the day.|access-date=September 1, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100901191632/http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/08/31/99960/alaska-absentee-count-looks-like.html|archive-date=September 1, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="concession">{{Cite news|url=http://cbs2chicago.com/wireapnational/Murkowski.concedes.Alaska.2.1888296.html|title=Murkowski Concedes Alaska Primary Race|last=Joling|first=Dan|date=August 31, 2010|work=[[WBBM-TV]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100901180953/http://cbs2chicago.com/wireapnational/Murkowski.concedes.Alaska.2.1888296.html|archive-date=September 1, 2010}}</ref> Miller received 55,878 votes to Murkowski's 53,872.<ref name="Results">{{cite web | url=https://www.elections.alaska.gov/results/10PRIM/data/results.pdf| title=State of Alaska 2010 Primary Election August 24, 2010 Official Results | work=State of Alaska Division of Elections | date=August 25, 2010 | access-date=November 22, 2024}}</ref>

After the primary, the Murkowski campaign floated the idea of her running as a [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian]] in the general election.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2012734997_alaska27.html |title=Libertarians an option for Murkowski |last=Memoli |first=Michael A. |date=August 27, 2010 |work=[[Seattle Times]] |quote=The state Libertarian Party told the Anchorage Daily News that it was open to the possibility of nominating Murkowski as a third-party candidate, a notion that her campaign is not embracing but has not ruled out. |access-date=August 28, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100830155443/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2012734997_alaska27.html |archive-date=August 30, 2010 }}</ref> On August 29, 2010, the state Libertarian Party executive board voted not to consider Murkowski as its Senate nominee.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adn.com/2010/09/07/1443217/libertarians-cool-to-senate-run.html|title=Libertarians cool to Murkowski candidacy|last=Cockerham|first=Sean|date=September 7, 2010|newspaper=[[Anchorage Daily News]]|access-date=August 10, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610144416/http://www.adn.com/2010/09/07/1443217/libertarians-cool-to-senate-run.html|archive-date=June 10, 2011}}</ref>

On September 17, 2010, Murkowski said she would mount a [[Write-in candidate|write-in]] campaign for the Senate seat.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iXP5SqYD7mXezWparpit8qa6EsrwD9IAC5801|title=Murkowski mounting write-in bid for Alaska Senate|last=Bohrer|first=Becky|date=September 18, 2010|agency=Associated Press|quote=Murkowski faces tough odds with her [[Write-in candidate|write-in]] candidacy. She has lost support from members within the Republican establishment, who are backing the Republican nominee, Joe Miller.|access-date=September 18, 2010|archive-date=September 21, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100921070427/https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iXP5SqYD7mXezWparpit8qa6EsrwD9IAC5801|url-status=dead}}</ref> Her campaign was aided in large part by substantial funding from state teachers' and firefighters' unions and Native corporations and PACs.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-nov-18-la-na-alaska-senate-20101118-story.html|title=Lisa Murkowski claims victory in Alaska Senate election|last=Murphy|first=Kim|date=November 18, 2010|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=November 21, 2010|archive-date=November 20, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120212854/http://articles.latimes.com/2010/nov/18/nation/la-na-alaska-senate-20101118|url-status=live}}</ref>

On November 17, 2010, the [[Associated Press]] reported that Murkowski had become only the second Senate candidate (after [[Strom Thurmond]] in [[1954 United States Senate election in South Carolina|1954]]) to win a write-in campaign.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/17/lisa-murkowski-defeats-jo_n_784998.html|title=Murkowski Defeats Miller in 2010 Alaska Senate Race|last=Bohrer|first=Becky|date=November 17, 2010|work=Huffington Post|access-date=February 17, 2020|archive-date=March 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306113008/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/17/lisa-murkowski-defeats-jo_n_784998.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Yardley|first=William|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/18/us/politics/18alaska.html|title=Murkowski Wins Alaska Senate Race|date=November 17, 2010|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=November 13, 2014|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=July 17, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140717201134/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/18/us/politics/18alaska.html|url-status=live}}</ref> She emerged victorious after a two-week count of write-in ballots showed she had overtaken Miller.<ref>{{cite news |last=Cillizza |first=Chris |author-link=Chris Cillizza |date=November 17, 2010 |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/senate/murkowski-wins-reelection.html |title=Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski wins write-in bid, AP says |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=November 17, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121008064414/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/senate/murkowski-wins-reelection.html |archive-date=October 8, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="AP calls">{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2010/11/17/131391244/ap-murkowski-wins-alaska-senate-race|title=AP: Murkowski Wins Alaska Senate Race|date=November 17, 2010|publisher=NPR|agency=Associated Press|author=AP staff reporter|access-date=April 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206151549/http://www.npr.org/2010/11/17/131391244/ap-murkowski-wins-alaska-senate-race|archive-date=December 6, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> Miller did not concede.<ref name="AP calls" /> U.S. Federal District Judge [[Ralph Beistline]] granted an injunction to stop the certification of the election due to "serious" legal issues and irregularities Miller raised about the hand count of absentee ballots.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/federal-judge-halts-certification-of-alaska-senate-election-as-miller-eyes-lawsuit/|title=Federal Judge Halts Certification of Alaska Senate Election as Miller Eyes Lawsuit|date=November 19, 2010|work=Fox News|agency=AP|access-date=November 21, 2010|archive-date=November 21, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101121054511/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/11/19/federal-judge-halts-certification-alaska-senate-election-miller-eyes-lawsuit/|url-status=live}}</ref> On December 10, 2010, an Alaskan judge dismissed Miller's case, clearing the way for Murkowski,<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/Senate/2010/1211/Joe-Miller-Lisa-Murkowski-US-Senate-race-appears-to-be-over|title=Joe Miller-Lisa Murkowski US Senate race appears to be over|journal=Christian Science Monitor|date=December 11, 2010|publisher=CSMonitor.com|author=Brad Knickerbocker|access-date=August 10, 2011|archive-date=March 11, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110311143351/http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/Senate/2010/1211/Joe-Miller-Lisa-Murkowski-US-Senate-race-appears-to-be-over|url-status=live}}</ref> but on December 13, Miller appealed the decision to the [[Alaska Supreme Court]]. The state Supreme Court rejected Miller's appeal on December 22.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/12/22/breaking-alaska-supreme-court-rules-against-miller|title=Breaking: Alaska Supreme Court rules against Miller|date=December 22, 2010|access-date=January 27, 2015|archive-date=July 9, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150709012610/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/12/22/breaking-alaska-supreme-court-rules-against-miller/|url-status=dead}}</ref> On December 28, Beistline dismissed Miller's lawsuit. Governor [[Sean Parnell]] certified Murkowski as the winner on December 30.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adn.com/2010/12/28/1622554/federal-judge-overturns-miller.html |title=Court rejects Miller, lifts certification hold: 2010 Alaska U.S. Senate election &#124; Alaska news at |publisher=Adn.com |author=LISA DEMER ldemer@adn.com |access-date=August 10, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108092615/http://www.adn.com/2010/12/28/1622554/federal-judge-overturns-miller.html |archive-date=January 8, 2014 }}</ref>