US Senate Candidate Joe Miller is calling on Senator Lisa Murkowski to explain why she continues to grandstand on the repeal of ObamaCare, while offering us no concrete evidence that she will stand up and be counted in the United States Senate. Early this month, The Hill reported that she has declined to sign a simple nine-word Republican bill that would repeal ObamaCare and allow free market advocates to go back and get it right. Senators Jon Kyl of Arizona and John Cornyn of Texas, among other prominent Republican legislators have signed on, while Mitch McConnell, Lamar Alexander and Lisa Murkowski have begged off. (See Senate Bill to Repeal Healthcare Reform Lacks Backing from Republican Leaders, The Hill, July 5, 2010.)

“The Senator has some explaining to do,” Miller said. “Alaskan voters deserve something more than a ‘duck and weave’ routine on her nuanced, and sometimes contradictory positions on the repeal of ObamaCare. If she cannot make up her mind on something this straightforward and unpopular, how can Republican voters have any reasonable expectation that she will ‘fight for Alaska’ if they give her the nod in August.” Last August speaking at a townhall meeting in Anchorage, she said “It’s not so much that the government run [healthcare] plan is in and of itself a bad thing.” She backed up that view with a vote earlier in 2009. Murkowski was one of only a handful of Republican Senators who voted against their Party with the Democrats for a $33 billion expansion of the SCHIP program, shortly after President Obama took office (The Senate Vote on H.R. 2 as Amended, January 29, 2009). President George W. Bush vetoed a similar measure twice on the grounds that it was a move towards socialized medicine which the nation could ill-afford.

Though she now says she favors repealing ObamaCare, as has been widely reported, she said precisely the opposite in a March 30 interview with KTUU shortly after the bill passed. At the time, it looked like public sympathy was swinging in support of the new legislation. But after Mr. Miller decided to jump into the race in April, she altered her message. Do her recent protests really indicate a change in course? The new information from The Hill raises serious questions about her willingness to stand on the true conservative principle of limited government, and the disparity between what the Senator says in Alaska and what she does in Washington. It seems we’re hearing more of the reelection Lisa now, while the real Murkowski sees new federal government programs as the answer to almost every problem.

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Anchorage, Alaska — Joe Miller, candidate for US Senate from Alaska, received an ‘A’ rating from the National Rifle Association this week. NRA Chairman Chris Cox stated, “this rating indicates [Miller’s] support for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.”

Miller, a Life Member and Benefactor of the NRA, said, “The Founders believed our Right to Keep and Bear Arms was such a vital liberty, they wrote it into the Constitution. No one will be a stronger advocate in its defense.”

Miller is an avid sportsman and gun collector. He served in combat during the First Gulf War, receiving the Bronze star. While a cadet a West Point, Joe was a member of the school’s champion rifle team and also is a former Federal Firearms License holder.

By contrast Miller’s opponent, Lisa Murkowski, sounds an uncertain trumpet in support of the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. As is true with so much of her voting record, Murkowski votes conservatively only when it is vital to her political survival, but otherwise joins with the Democrats more often than almost any other “Republican” senator. She voted against the majority of Republicans with the Democrats to confirm Eric Holder, the most anti-gun Attorney General in our nation’s history. She has been designated as a pro-gun compromiser by the Gun Owners of America. Additionally, she voted to expand the land covered by the National Park Service gun ban. While serving in the State House, she voted against the repeal of the concealed carried restrictions and against the State sale of confiscated arms. It is no wonder during her time in the House she received a ‘D’ rating by the NRA.

Miller pledges to be a strong and consistent supporter of the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. “This right is inalienable, and I will always be on the side of preserving this freedom,” said Miller.

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Today the Joe Miller for US Senate Campaign repudiated Democratic pollster Ivan Moore’s assertion that Senator Murkowski has a significant lead in the race. “We are well aware that there is an unholy alliance between the Murkowski camp and the Democrats,” campaign manager Paul Bauer said. He added, “A recent poll indicated that half of Democrats approve of Senator Murkowski’s job performance. I think that is very telling. Moore’s poll is nothing more than a political stunt.”

Campaign internal polling among likely Republican primary voters indicates a far different story. In fact, the race was significantly closer than Moore’s “findings” almost two months ago, and Miller has clearly been gaining ground in subsequent weeks. The campaign would like to see Mr. Moore’s sampling and how he arrived at such disparate numbers.

Even if Moore’s poll were taken at face value, it indicates that 54% of respondents had not yet heard of Miller. Miller polled at 65% among the 46% that did. Bauer pointed out as the election draws near and voters focus in on the election, Joe’s name recognition will continue to grow. “The campaign rolled out statewide ads a few weeks ago. We believe as voters learn about Joe and his positions and how their ‘Republican’ Senator Murkowski has been voting in Washington, the ranks of our supporters will continue to swell. Joe is being well received all over the state.”

It is for good reason that Murkowski has been voted one of the top RINOs in the Senate and has in fact voted over 300 times with Democrats against the Republicans (see Human Events, Top Ten Senate RINOs, March 11, 2009). She has been part of the big spending problem in Washington over the last eight years that she has held office. She supports cap and trade and just last month refused to support a bill offered by her fellow Republican senators calling for the repeal of ObamaCare. Additionally, her views are outside of the mainstream regarding some of the most important social issues of our day.

It is interesting that a prominent Democrat running for governor commissioned an Ivan Moore poll on his race during the same time-frame that Moore says he piggy-backed off of other work he was doing for unnamed clients to come up with numbers for the Republican primary race. If our sources are correct, it is not surprising that Murkowski would have a 30-point lead over Miller among Democrats and left-leaning independents. The Miller Campaign categorically rejects Moore’s suggestion that his numbers are indicative of the actual Republican Primary race. It is sad that the media feels compelled to report on un-scientific findings. The Anchorage Daily News, The Los Angeles Times, and any other outlet that picked up this non-story should immediately print a retraction.

Mr. Moore’s work has a definite objective: to promote the agenda of his client. The Miller Campaign is asking Mr. Moore to fully disclose his methodology, sampling, and objectives. Until he does so, it is irresponsible for the media to engage in idle chatter about rigged results. Without knowing Moore’s methodology, it may be no more scientific than an online statewide poll taken this past weekend by the Alaska ABC News affiliate showing Miller over Murkowski 72% to 28%. At least those who responded probably have a strong interest in the race and a good likelihood of voting.

Bauer stated, “We are confident in upcoming weeks when more accurate polling data becomes available, it will accurately reflect the race is close and getting closer; and when the most important poll is taken among Alaskans on Election Day, Joe will come out on top.”

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Alaska law allows you to cast an absentee ballot from the convenience of your home or work place so you do not need to go to the polls on August 24.

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