Murkowski Likely has Insurmountable “Write-in” Lead in Alaska Senate Race – The Hill

The Hill is reporting that an Alaska-based Republican Pollster – Marc Hellenthal – believes GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski has an insurmountable lead over GOP Senate Nominee Joe Miller:

THE HILL: . . . . . As it stands now, the number of “write-in” votes cast on Election Day leads Miller’s vote total by 7 percent. It translates into a lead of some 13,000 votes over Miller, meaning the Republican nominee will have to find a way to invalidate a sizable portion of write-in ballots to have any chance of defeating Murkowski.

“Short of some absolutely astounding event, it’s over,” concludes Alaska-based Republican pollster Marc Hellenthal, who admitted he was surprised at the strong showing for the write-in category Tuesday.

“[Murkowski] spent a lot of time and a lot of money making sure her voters knew what to do and knew how to spell her name, and it looks like it paid off,” he said. “Our last poll before the election had her at 44 percent. I was surprised at how close to 44 percent that write-in total ended up.”

If Murkowski holds on she would be the first to win election to the Senate as a write-in since the late-Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.) did it in 1954. But first, the incumbent needs to get past what is likely to be a messy legal battle despite her solid position. . . . . Read More

More than likely, Murkowski will continue to caucus with Republicans, assuming she hangs on. She has proven herself to be focused entirely on the preservation of her power and position. She knows the odds are very high that the GOP will take control of the Senate in 2012, and she’ll have four years on this new term to be in the Majority if she sticks with the GOP. Democrats have 23 incumbent Senate seats (including the two Independents – Lieberman and Sanders – who caucus with them) up for Re-election in 2012 to the GOP’s ten. A net gain of only four seats will give the GOP the Majority in the Senate. I am surprised that many Alaskans did the “write-in” thing. I really did not think she could pull it off – but it looks like she has.