# Alaska Senate race
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607
**Category:** Politics & Elections
**Created:** [August 27, 2010, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607 "2010-08-27T01:03:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 14
### Author:  [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)
#### Post date: [December 13, 2010, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/261 "2010-12-13T04:44:54Z")
Looking around some, I found [this article](http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2010/12/at-stake-in-ala.php) which suggests that more often than not seniority is not lost.
Apparently the Senate may choose to seat her on January 3 even if the election challenge is still continuing. But that may depend on the state “certifying” the election results before that date, which might not happen in Alaska.
OTOH, the article claims that the Senate Minority Leader held places open on Norm Coleman’s committees so he could rejoin them if he had prevailed. Though whether he would have retained his senior status on the committees was not addressed.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2010, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/262 "2010-12-14T05:07:14Z")
Miller is taking the case to the AK Supremes. :rolleyes:
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### Author:  [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/263 "2010-12-14T17:32:14Z")
[http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/miller-appeals-decision-favoring-murkowski-in-alaska-s-senate-race-20101213](http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/miller-appeals-decision-favoring-murkowski-in-alaska-s-senate-race-20101213) heres the article. Miller wont quit.
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### Author:  [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2010, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/264 "2010-12-14T18:18:49Z")
And the Republicans thought _Gore_ was a sore loser…
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### Author:  [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2010, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/265 "2010-12-14T23:44:40Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> And the Republicans thought _Gore_ was a sore loser…
Miller is giving every indication of taking this to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, [back at the ranch](http://www.adn.com/2010/12/14/1603687/miller-team-weighs-options-in.html), Judge Beistline, the federal judge who issued the current stay, has asked the sides to submit arguments on whether a certification could be revoked if later found to be in error.
> [@](#):
>
> U.S District Judge Ralph Beistline said in a written order that certification of the race between Republicans Joe Miller and Sen. Lisa Murkowski doesn’t necessarily mean the end of the court battle. He said it’s possible that the certification could be revoked if it was done in error, and suggested the sides to submit legal briefings on that issue.
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### Author:  [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2010, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/266 "2010-12-14T23:52:55Z")
> [@gonzomax](#):
>
> [http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/miller-appeals-decision-favoring-murkowski-in-alaska-s-senate-race-20101213](http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/miller-appeals-decision-favoring-murkowski-in-alaska-s-senate-race-20101213) heres the article. Miller wont quit.
How quickly will SCOAK take this up?
When Miller takes it to the Federal court, how quickly will it be resolved?
Can AK governor appoint someone (obviously Murkowski herself) to fill the seat untill this is resolved?
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### Author:  [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2010, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/267 "2010-12-14T23:56:56Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#):
>
> How quickly will SCOAK take this up?
Arguments are Friday. How quickly will a decision be issued? 😕
> [@](#):
>
> When Miller takes it to the Federal court, how quickly will it be resolved?
> Can AK governor appoint someone (obviously Murkowski herself) to fill the seat untill this is resolved?
Insert more puzzled smilies here. Although the governor has looking into his legal options to fill the seat, I haven’t seen any more on that. I suspect that Alaska vacancy law doesn’t apply to this situation.
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### Author:  [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2010, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/268 "2010-12-22T23:04:56Z")
The Alaska Supreme Court has ruled [against](http://www.adn.com/2010/12/22/1616612/supreme-court-rules-against-miller.html) Miller on all counts.
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### Author:  [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/269 "2010-12-23T18:23:27Z")
He is pondering taking it to the Supreme Court. Who is financing this fool?
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### Author:  [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/270 "2010-12-23T18:31:27Z")
Hell, this is republican against republican. How stupid can this get?
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### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2010, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/271 "2010-12-23T22:29:03Z")
> [@gonzomax](#):
>
> He is pondering taking it to the Supreme Court. Who is financing this fool?
Per Franks cite:
\*Miller has been challenging the results of the Nov. 2 election with the help of money from South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint’s political action committee, the Senate Conservatives Fund. \*
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### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2010, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/272 "2010-12-23T23:19:17Z")
Murkowski has started showing a fierce independent streak. Crossing the aisle and voting to get some things done.
I don’t blame her. The Republicans treated her like crap. The party leaders could reign in DeMint if they wanted.
Now, she has 6 years to vote to help her state and not necessarily walk the party line. Lisa may be a much better Senator than she was previously. She has nothing to lose now.
[http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20101223/pl\_politico/46695](http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20101223/pl_politico/46695)
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### Author:  [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2010, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/273 "2010-12-23T23:31:18Z")
She is the only Republican to vote for all four of the following: Tax compromise, DADT repeal, START treaty, cloture on DREAM.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [December 23, 2010, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/274 "2010-12-23T23:56:01Z")
She has always talked the moderate line, but almost always voted the party line. I’m glad to see that she’s gained some self-respect.
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### Author:  [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)
#### Post date: [December 24, 2010, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/275 "2010-12-24T00:02:21Z")
Maybe with everthing that’s happened, she’ll come over to the Dark Side.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [December 24, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/276 "2010-12-24T17:00:02Z")
> [@descamisado](#):
>
> Maybe with everthing that’s happened, she’ll come over to the Dark Side.
Hah! Only if she’s tired of political life.
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [December 24, 2010, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/277 "2010-12-24T17:02:10Z")
Will she run as a Republican in her next election?
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [December 24, 2010, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/278 "2010-12-24T19:35:40Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#):
>
> Will she run as a Republican in her next election?
Almost assuredly. She could try to run as an Independent, since there are so many registered Independents in Alaska, but it would probably be seen as a shift to the left by Alaskans, who are generally unhappy with her already.
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### Author:  [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)
#### Post date: [December 24, 2010, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/279 "2010-12-24T23:52:10Z")
> [@Chefguy](#):
>
> Almost assuredly. She could try to run as an Independent, since there are so many registered Independents in Alaska, but it would probably be seen as a shift to the left by Alaskans, who are generally unhappy with her already.
? They are? Then why did so many of them write her name down?
This is a serious question. I live in a state as far away from Alaska as it’s possible to get and still be in the US.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [December 25, 2010, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/280 "2010-12-25T00:53:49Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#):
>
> ? They are? Then why did so many of them write her name down?
>
> This is a serious question. I live in a state as far away from Alaska as it’s possible to get and still be in the US.
Because the idiot she was running against was too much of a crackpot for most people and had possible pending felony charges against him.
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