GOP Challenges in Counting Alaska Senate Write-In Votes

A great assessment of the challenges that Alaska Republican Senate nominee Joe Miller faces in the tallying of Senator Lisa Murkowski (?-AK) write-in votes by Dan Riel at Big Government.com

» The Path To Victory For Joe Miller In Alaska - Big Government

Amongst the 37,800 uncounted votes includes 31,000 absentee ballots, many of which may be military so likely for the Republican nominee not the write-in.

When deciding voter's intent when counting write-ins, it takes good lawyering.  The Murkowski campaign has hired the Bush 2000 Florida recount team.  It is unclear what resources the Miller campaign can tap into.  While Alaska is generous in determining voter intent, the flood of last minute write-in candidates included one who is also a "Lisa M." so that might cause some intense law-fare.

The difficulty that I see is that the GOP may be ambivalent to expend full support to the Miller campaign so as not to alienate Murkowski in case Lisa does not lose. The Senate Republican did not strip her of her ranking member status on the Environmental and Public Works Committee. I doubt that the RNSC will stick its neck out for Miller, especially since Between the Beltways prefer connected insider incumbents rather than unpolished insurgents.

UPDATE 11/05  Under pressure from radio host Mark Levin and other conservative groups, the NRSC is fund raising for Alaska Republican Senate nominee Joe Miller in his canvass fight over write-in candidate Senator Lisa Murkowski (?-AK).