Lisa Murkowski: The Age of the Sore Loser Incumbent

Daddy's Little Girl has a deathgrip on DC

Lisa Murkowski joins Charlie Crist, among others, in that exclusive club of “You can have my seat at the DC table when you pry my cold, dead hands off of it.”

Senator Lisa Murkowski first came to the U.S. Senate by privilege of being the daughter of the governor of Alaska. Murkowski was appointed to the Senate by her father, Frank. L. Murkowski just happened to be replacing her father in the Senate.

Nice and cozy, huh?

Not exactly. The Murkowski-appointing-Murkowski-to-replace-Murkowski deal stunk so bad–even in frigid Alaska–that Alaskans reacted to make sure it didn’t happen again.

Murkowski, while a member of the state House, was appointed by her father, Governor Frank Murkowski, to his own unexpired Senate seat in December 2002, which he had vacated after being elected governor. The appointment caused a furor in the state, and eventually resulted in a referendum which stripped the governor of his power to directly appoint replacement.

Lisa Murkowski fit right in immediately with the whole DC-Get-Some mentality.

In July 2007, Murkowski stated she would sell back land she bought from Anchorage businessman Bob Penney, a day after a Washington watchdog group filed a Senate ethics complaint against her, alleging that Penney sold the property well below market value. The Anchorage Daily News noted, “The transaction amounted to an illegal gift worth between $70,000 and $170,000, depending on how the property was valued, according to the complaint by the National Legal and Policy Center.” According to the Associated Press, Murkowski bought the land from two developers tied to the Ted Stevens probe.

Murkowski, who most likely, when the absentee ballots are all counted will lose her bid to remain in the DC Ruling Class, can’t let go.

Rumors are that Murkowski may cut a deal with a Libertarian candidate to replace him on the November ballot–because she’s such a Libertarian, doncha know? Alaska libertarian candidate open to stepping aside for Murkowski?

Let’s go down the Lisa Murkowsky, Deathgrip-On-Power checklist, shall we?

Appointed to Senate? Check.

By her father? Check.

To replace her father. Check.

Takes gifts? Check.

Which she disposes of when exposed? Check.

Tossed out by voters? Check.

Going third-party in a blatant attempt to stay close to Daddy Sugar and everything that she holds sacred in DC?

Apparently, Murkowski is currently exploring all of her options.

The Republican Establishment has already sent a lawyer?!?

Let me get this straight. After taking loads of abuse from the grassroots for endorsing Charlie Crist before Rubio’s campaign got off the ground, and with Murkowski already pointedly refusing to rule out a third-party bid if Miller’s (shrinking) lead holds up, John Cornyn and the NRSC are … sending their top lawyer to help her out? And framing it explicitly in terms of retaining incumbents? Do they really have no idea of how bitterly ferocious the backlash will be among the Republican base — especially, but not only, among Palin’s supporters — if they’re seen as tilting the election to Murkowski? And how embarrassing it’ll be if they try to do so and fail and then get knifed in the back when she bolts to run as a libertarian?

Republicans at the national level (we’re talking John Coryn, Mitch McConnell, et. al.) only have until 2014 to start getting serious about governing. After 2014, all bets are off.

Charlie Crist and now Lisa Murkowski are the first of a long line of “sore loser incumbents” more intent on clinging to power in any way possible. As more RINOs get turned out of the Republican Party through more people getting involved, expect to see more of the Sore Losers.

That has a good ring to it. Maybe Lisa Murkowski can change her party affiliation to Murkowski, (Sore Loser-AL)?

NOTE: Get to work on a Political truth-in-labeling law in Alaska, pronto.

Check.

by Mondo Frazier
image: csmonitor

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