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Alaska Governor Latest Incumbent Ousted
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The defeat of Republican Gov. Frank Murkowski in Alaska's GOP primary may have resulted from missteps throughout his first term - but vulnerable incumbents should take heed, political observers said Wednesday.Murkowski was trounced in his own party's primary Tuesday, finishing last in the three-way race. Sarah Palin, a former Wasilla mayor, won with more than 50 percent of the vote and will face former Democratic Gov. Tony Knowles in November. Murkowski took just 19 percent of the vote, which is ``literally almost unprecedented for someone who is not indicted,'' said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics. Popular opinion turned on Murkowski after missteps that constantly thrust him into battle with his political opponents and his own Republican-led Legislature, including: appointing his daughter to his U.S. Senate seat, unpopular budget cuts his first year and a highly publicized fight to buy a state jet. Posted by: Steve White 2006-08-24 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=163874 |