Ridiculous Rumor of the Week

This one pegs our "Wild Hare" meter
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Lamestream media blathering heads and political spin doctors are pushing the ridiculous rumor that Sarah Palin is moving to Arizona, not to run a 2012 presidential campaign from Maricopa County, as earlier rumors projected, but to run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Republican John Kyl.

The rumor was floated in last Sunday's edition of The Arizona Republic, and it is being pumped up by Arizona Democrats as a fundraising gimmick with the complicity of Vichy Republicans. Ford O'Connell and Steve Pearson hyped it Thursday at Tucker Carlson's establishmentarian The Daily Caller.

The rumor pegs our "Wild Hare" meter for several reasons:

First and foremost, Gov. Palin is an Alaskan who loves her state. Though she may establish a base of operations in the lower 48 - understandable, because Alaska is effectively out of the political loop due to its relative remoteness and time zone differences - we can't see her changing her first allegiance to her home state. The governor values loyalty, and she has always been loyal to Alaska. Don't expect a TLC series titled "Sarah Palin's Arizona." It's not going to happen.

Secondly, the 2008 vice presidential candidate has never shown any interest in becoming a member of the U.S. Senate. That's not to say that she would never consider such an option, but even if she did decide to run for the Senate, she would not move to Arizona to do it. If Sarah Palin doesn't run for president in 2012, and decided to run for the Senate, she would likely challenge Mark Begich, the Alaska Democrat whose term expires in 2014. Begich is vulnerable, as his approval ratings are hovering around 35 percent, while the former Alaska governor is still viewed favorably by a majority of Alaskans.

Finally, the U.S. Senate is not the focus of Sarah Palin's ambitions, nor has it been since Frank Murkowski gave his daughter the Senate seat years ago (h/t: hrh40). Her sights are set much higher now. She is seriously considering a run for the White House. As she said in her recent Facebook Notes op-ed, "2012 can’t come soon enough."

- JP

Allen West for U.S. Senate 2012

Thank you, John Cornyn
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And here we were beginning to think that one of Texas' great embarassments, Sen. John Cornyn was good for nothing. But the Senator, by virtue of his latest numbskull undertaking, has caused us to rethink that assessment. According to a report at The Hill, Cornyn tried to recruit Vichy Republican and MSPDS hack Joe Scarborough to challenge Florida Democrat Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012. Of all the harebrained things Cornyn has done, this one pegs the needle on the Outrage-O-Meter.

Clinical Law Professor William A. Jacobson is just one of the many voices rising in opposition this morning to Cornyn's latest act of RINOcery, opining on his Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion blog:

It is bad enough when the NRSC backs milquetoasty RINOs like Charlie Crist.

But recruiting a founding member of the No Labels group is a step way too far. Joe Scarborough already said he wanted no part of you, what don't you understand about "no labels"?

And recruiting someone who is out front in proving he can bash Sarah Palin harder than any Democrat will lead to a revolt and schism in the party...

[...]

If John Cornyn wants to rip this party apart, then he has found the way. Does he want our energy and money devoted to stopping a GOP senatorial candidate, or stopping Barack Obama?

Prof. Jacobson asked his readers for their suggestions on who is the next Marco Rubio in Florida, and a commenter named freshman Rep. Allen West of the 22nd Congressional District. Sounds like a winner to us. Thought Col. West would be a formidable running mate for Sarah Palin in 2012, he is probably needed more in the U.S. Senate.

So Cornyn is good for something, after all. He's got us interested in the 2012 Florida GOP primary race for U.S. Senate and determined to defeat whatever Vichy Republican he and his corrupt NRSC will back. We have every confidence that if Col West chooses to accept that mission, he will successfully carry it out. Now to find a primary challenger to take on Cornyn here in Texas for 2014...

- JP

Sarah Palin: Omnibus Defeat Is a Victory for Reality

"Some people still want to continue spending like there’s no tomorrow"
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Gov. Palin posted the following commentary Friday afternoon on NRO's The Corner:

Omnibus Defeat Is a Victory for Reality
I’m glad the Senate came to its senses and killed the omnibus spending monstrosity. That outrageous trillion-dollar pork buffet was an outright slap in the face to the American public’s expressed wishes in the last election. It was as if Congress was earning its historically low 13 percent approval rating before our very eyes. I applaud senators like Jim DeMint, John McCain, and others who fought this and stopped it.

However, the very fact that some lawmakers on Capitol Hill thought such reckless spending was even remotely acceptable is disturbing. We’re facing trillion-dollar deficits and a record national debt, but some people still want to continue spending like there’s no tomorrow. If the European debt crisis teaches us anything, it’s that tomorrow always comes. Sooner or later, the markets will expect us to settle the bill for the enormous Obama-Pelosi-Reid spending binge. We’ve already been warned by the credit ratings agency Moody’s that unless we get serious about reducing our deficit, we may face a downgrade of our credit rating. Even the lamest of lame ducks can’t ignore this reality.

- JP

Alaska's Sen. Murkowski a Coke Head?

-By Warner Todd Huston
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Dan Riehl of Riehl World View has a bit of a bombshell to drop on the arrogant, self-reverential "Senator of the people," Alaska's Lisa Murkowski -- she of the second hand Senate seat bequeathed to her by her father who held that seat himself. Riehl says that it is a commonly known, not-so-secret secret in Alaska that Lisa Murkowski is and/or was a major drug addict even as she served as Alaska's Republican Senator.

Murkowski recently lost her primary, as we all know, and suddenly she is now Mz independent because obviously having her in the Senate is far, far more important than anything as silly as the will of the voters! Perhaps her drug use explains her completely incomprehensible decision to continue running despite being turned out by her own voters?

So what did Riehl find?

"It was back during the primary that I first heard reports that Alaska's independent candidate for Senate, Lisa Murkowski, may have routinely ignored the state's drug laws by regularly abusing cocaine. Given a lack of solid sources and Lisa Murkowski's loss to Joe Miller, I moved on, though some reports suggested the abuse may have been habitual, even while her influential politician father, Frank Murkowski, positioned himself as something of a hardliner on drug enforcement."

After calling Murkowski's office and getting no reply, Riehl sent five questions via email that he wanted answered regarding this rumored drug use.

1) Has Senator Murkowski ever used cocaine recreationally prior to her holding elective office at the state, or federal level? Has she ever shared same in the past, without cost, with friends and or associates, including at a then downtown Anchorage restaurant owned by her husband?

2) It's also been alleged that this was something of an open secret within a relatively small circle of friends and associates in Alaska. If true, is that a correct characterization?

3) Has the Senator ever been confronted with said allegations? If so, how did she respond?

4) Has her husband, Verne Martell, ever been involved with a police matter in California? Did Lisa's father Frank ever use his influence to minimize said matter, if not in essence, make it go away? Has she ever been approached by CA or AK media in this regard?

5) Finally, as it will likely be briefly re-visited in a pending item, the Senator recently spoke well of PMBR, see link below, despite its having been hit with an 11.9 million dollar judgment for copyright violation. Would the campaign care to comment as to how her experience with PMBR relates to the copyright issue? Any comment as to any concerns that the acknowledged assistance from PMBR could be construed as her having gained insight to copyrighted questions for which (bar exam) testing candidates should not have had access?

Still no reply.

Riehl looked up one of Murkowski's former opponents and he said he got many reports of Murkowski's drug use when he ran against her in 1998. "I received many calls back then alleging that Ms. Murkowski used cocaine in substantial amounts for a prolonged period of time," said Richard J. Helms.

Riehl has a lot of other anecdotal evidence concerning Murkowski's drug use at his blog post but it all raises an interesting question. Why has Murkowski not addressed this persistent question, one that has been around in Alaska since at least 1998? One would think that Murkowski would have at least denied the allegations and moved on if they are, indeed, deniable. But Riehl could find no statement from Murkowski shooting down the rumors.

These are pretty strong charges, to be sure. Why no reply?

Now, many of you reading this may dismiss this as all just rumormongering, unsubstantiated blather, nothing to get exercised about. Of course there's that whole media propensity to think the "seriousness of the charge" is enough to talk about this accusation until the cows come home (for you city folks that means "for a long time").

Yet, even as the media would normally give this sort of rumor a full court press, the same media has wholly ignored this long-time rumor. One has to wonder why?

On the other hand, let us contrast the media blowing off this Murkowski rumor to its drummed up reports about another Alaska politician: Sarah Palin. Remember the idiotically absurd rumors that Sarah's baby son Trig was actually her own daughter's baby, one born out of wedlock?

This rumor was really one of the most idiotic rumors of the age, one easily disproven, yet the Old Media played this rumor to the hilt and for months used it as a staple of criticism of Palin during the 2008 presidential elections.

So, in light of the halfwit Trig truther rumor that the Old Media went wild to report I have to ask once again: why is the Old Media ignoring this much more substantive Murkowski drug use rumor?

In any case, it's all a pretty good reason to vote for Joe Miller for Senate in Alaska!

-WTH

Warner Todd Huston is editor of Publius' Forum and a contributor to Texas for Sarah Palin as well as Big Government, Right Wing News, and a number of other websites.

New NRSC ad: 'Prove Them Wrong'

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See how many Palin-endorsed candidates for the U.S. Senate you can count in this new NRSC ad:



Our side has really been producing some knockout ads and videos lately!

h/t: Smitty

- JP

Sarah Palin on the Sean Hannity radio show

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Courtesy of Palin TV, here's Gov. Palin's unscheduled call to Sean Hannity on his radio show today;



Support Palin TV

- JP

Sarah Palin endorses Christine O'Donnell (Updated)

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In an unannounced appearance on Sean Hannity's radio program, Gov. Palin just officially endorsed Christine O'Donnell in the race for U.S. Senate in Delaware. The endorsement certainly answers any questions regarding whether the governor has any reservations about supporting a Reagan conservative in deep blue states (see here).

The woman is absolutely fearless.

Updates...

From Sean Hannity via Twitter:

"Thanks @SarahPalinUSA for the last minute call in. Endorsement of Christine O'Donnell was an exclusive. Said she hadn't told Christine yet."

David Weigel on the connection which helped bring about today's endorsement:

"Matt Moran, O'Donnell's campaign manager, previously worked with Doug Hoffman's campaign in NY-23. It was Palin's endorsement of Hoffman that really rocketed him into the stratosphere. Moran's connection to the Palin camp was obviously helpful in keeping the possibility of an Palin-O'Donnell endorsement alive, even as Republicans tried to stunt her momentum and prevent any more groups like the Tea Party Express from jumping in."

The candidate's reaction upon getting the news:

"@sarahpalinusa Thank you for support on @SeanHannity today! #tcot #conservative #DESEN #teaparty"

and:

"Just got Gov. Palin's endorsement! Thank you for your prayers!"

Real Clear Politics has an audio clip of the endorsement here.

- JP

Quote of the Day (August 31, 2010)

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Erick Erickson at Redstate.com:

"Lisa Murkowski is conceding the senate primary in Alaska to RedState and Sarah Palin endorsed Joe Miller... Conservatives, led by Jim DeMint and Sarah Palin, are potentially creating the most conservative Senate Republican Conference in the last thirty or so years: Sharron Angle, Ken Buck, Mike Lee, Joe Miller, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, and Pat Toomey will be joining Jim DeMint, Tom Coburn, and David Vitter."

- JP

Joe Miller hangs on to lead; credits Sarah Palin (Updated)

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100 percent of the precincts have now been counted in Alaska, and underdog Joe Miller leads by 2.2 percentage points over incumbent Senator Lisa Murkowski in Alaska. The challenger is ahead by 1,668 votes. Miller had 51.1 percent of the votes in the GOP primary to Lisa Murkowski's 48.9 percent.

Miller told the Anchorage Daily News that he credited the support of Sarah Palin for his lead:

"I'm absolutely certain that was pivotal," he said.

Gov. Palin endorsed Joe Miller June 2.

The final results of the race may not be known for over a week. According to Alaska election officials, more than 16,000 absentee ballots were requested, and as of Monday night only 7,600 had been returned. The first absentee count will be next Tuesday, with two subsequent counts Sept. 3 and Sept. 8.

- JP

Sarah Palin: Statement on the passing of Sen. Ted Stevens

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Gov. Palin released this statement on the news today of the death of former Senator Ted Stevens. The statement was also posted on her Facebook Notes page:

Alaska’s Tough Warrior, Ted Stevens

It’s with great sadness that Todd and I hear the reports coming in of Senator Ted Stevens’ passing in the plane crash near Dillingham. In our land of towering mountains and larger than life characters, none were larger than the man who in 2000 was voted “Alaskan of the Century.” This decorated World War II pilot was a warrior and a true champion of Alaska.

In 40 years of service in the U.S. Senate, he fought tenaciously for Alaska’s future. Alaskans know how much we owe to Senator Stevens, but all Americans owe him a debt of gratitude for his leadership on many issues, including the crucial energy issues that fuel American prosperity. Two years ago, he sat at my kitchen table over a salmon lunch, and we talked about our long anticipated Alaska natural gas pipeline and our mutual commitment to have the Last Frontier’s rich resources contribute to America’s quest for energy independence.

Our Senator was also known for spearheading efforts to ensure equality in education, and his Title IX legislation allowed girls to be on a level playing field in the athletic arena.

Our hearts and prayers are with the Stevens family and the families of the other victims of the crash.

- Sarah Palin

- JP

Alaska Senator Ted Stevens Confirmed Dead in Plane Crash

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-By Warner Todd Huston

Governor Palin has tweeted the following about the tragic plane crash:

"Heartbreaking Bristol Bay plane crash. Alaska's heart surrounds loved ones. More info coming in; pls pray for Dillingham rescue this morning."

It has been confirmed by former Senator Ted Stevens' family that he has perished in a plane crash near Dillingham, Alaska.

Former NASA Chief Sean O'Keefe was also aboard the plane but no word if he also perished in the crash.

Oddly, years ago Senator Stevens survived another plane crash in which his beloved wife died.

At this reporting there are four survivors but the Alaska National Guard has not identified them.

Senator Stevens served from 1968 to 2009 when he at last lost a re-election bid. He was the longest serving Republican Senator in history. Stevens was 87.

Update: The AP has reported that EADS North America CEO Sean O'Keefe and his son survived the crash. This has been confirmed in a statement released today from company chairman Ralph Crosby.

-WTH

KS-SEN: Moran campaign denies political thuggery

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The U.S. Senate race in Kansas is heating up on the Republican side. Rep. Jerry Moran's campaign has denied issuing threats to the heads of two organizations that endorsed Moran's primary opponent Rep. Todd Tiahrt. More from the Wichita Eagle's editorial blog:

Moran spokesman Dan Conston called the allegation “political slime.” But Patricia Stoneking of the Kansas State Rifle Association and David Gittrich of the Kansans for Life PAC both said Moran campaign manager Todd Novascone — a former state representative from Andover — threatened that their groups would be sorry that they endorsed Tiahrt. Gittrich also claims that Novascone said he had a lot of dirt on Gittrich going back to high school. Tiahrt spokeswoman Michelle Schroeder responded: “Kansans should not have to fear Chicago-style threats from Congressman Moran or his staff simply because they don’t support his campaign.”

Sarah Palin has also endorsed Tiahrt.

- JP

Mediaquake: NH press reacts to Gov. Palin's Ayotte endorsement:

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John DiStaso, senior political writer for New Hampshire's largest and most influential newspaper, The Union Leader, updated his "Granite Status" column Monday with the news of Gov. Palin's latest endorsement:

Kelly Ayotte is officially a Sarah Palin "mama grizzly." The former vice presidential nominee endorsed Ayotte for the New Hampshire U.S. Senate seat this afternoon on her Facebook page, calling her a woman who has "broken barriers, fought off and locked up criminals, and battled all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to protect the rights of New Hampshire parents - and won!"

DiStaso has been writing the column since 1982.

Meanwhile at the Nashua Telegraph, Kevin Landrigan also covered the major endorsement:

The Palin endorsement is a critical one for Ayotte precisely because Palin is known not as a froutrunning watcher but a kickass maverick.

She’s also one of a few movement politicians in the GOP ranks with friends among the Tea Party and fiscal/social conservative elite along with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

As someone who has her full of insiders and establishment types, Ayotte more than any other candidate needed the shake-em-up pedigree that a Palin endorsement can give.

[...]

Leave it to Palin to take for Ayotte the first shot at GOP rival and multi-millionaire Bill Binnie as well as slap back at Democratic Senate candidate Paul Hodes both of whom have run ads with contrasts or attacks against Ayotte.

Shawn Millerick at the Now Hampshire blog posted a "Hurricane Sarah Watch," but characterized the endorsement as an earthquake:

Today Sarah Palin endorsed former AG Kelly Ayotte’s senate bid, setting off an earthquake that shook the political landscape in New Hampshire. Within minutes of the endorsement, headlines started screaming on blogs and newsites on the state and national scene. Ayotte’s Democratic opponent Paul Hodes and liberal blog Blue Hampshire started hyperventilating almost immediately, while Ayotte’s GOP opponents had conniptions of their own. Ovide Lamontagne denounced the endorsement in a long, rambling statement, while a Bender spokesman tried to downplay it by saying that they may have seen something about it but deleted the email.

Regardless of your opinion on Palin, her ability to shake the political scene and suck up all of the oxygen is beyond doubt. This most certainly is a boost to Ayotte’s campaign and a blow to her GOP opponents.

Not that Gov. Palin needs any excuses to visit New Hampshire, but she will now have plenty of opportunities to do so if she chooses to actively campaign for Ayotte in the Granite State. Also, we wouldn't be a bit surprised if there will be more NH endorsements to come from the first woman to win the GOP's vice presidential nomination.

- JP

NH-Sen: Sarah Palin endorses Kelly Ayotte

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Sarah Palin made what some pundits will no doubt consider her first political move in critical early primary state New Hampshire with an endorsement Monday, giving her support via Facebook to Kelly Ayotte in the GOP primary race for the U.S. Senate:

Kelly Ayotte for New Hampshire

Todd, Willow, and I are headed out to Kodiak and Afognak to meet with logging families on the forested islands. As we work and sightsee on America’s largest island we’ll get to view more majestic bears, so now is a good time to draw attention to the political equivalent of the species.

It’s my honor to endorse a Granite State “mama grizzly” who has broken barriers, fought off and locked up criminals, and battled all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to protect the rights of New Hampshire parents – and won!

New Hampshire is lucky to have Kelly Ayotte as a candidate for the U.S. Senate this year. Kelly is a daughter of the Granite State, a product of its public schools, and its first female Attorney General. In her impressive five years in the AG’s office, Kelly earned a reputation for being tough on crime, supportive of law enforcement, and tireless in the defense of the rights of the people of New Hampshire. When Planned Parenthood challenged New Hampshire’s parental notification law, Kelly fought them all the way to the Supreme Court and won.

She’s the proud mother of two and the wife of a combat veteran who flew missions over Iraq and currently serves in the Air National Guard. Kelly and her husband started a small landscaping/snow removal business; so, she understands first hand the crushing burden Washington imposes on our small businesses. This pro-life, pro-family, anti-tax constitutional commonsense conservative is the Democrats’ biggest fear in November. They’re already running false ads against her weeks before even the primary election. And on top of that Kelly is facing attacks from a self-funded millionaire running with an R next to his name who likes Obamacare and cap-and-tax.

Kelly is the strongest commonsense conservative who can win in the fall. I knew I liked her when I met her earlier this year, and I know this Granite Grizzly will represent New Hampshire with distinction in Washington.

Please join me in supporting Kelly Ayotte by visiting her website at www.ayotteforsenate.com and following her on Facebook and Twitter.

One final note: I spent time campaigning in New Hampshire in 2008, and I know that the good people there are a lot like Alaskans. In both of our states, we like to get to know the people running for office, look them in the eye, and judge their character. New Hampshire voters know not to rely on misleading negative ads. New Hampshire, tune out the ads and send your native daughter to the Senate. She’ll fight for you there just as passionately and fearlessly as she fought for you in the highest court of the land.

- Sarah Palin

- JP

The DC: Calling Obama agenda ‘backasswards,’ Palin defends Angle

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In a series of Sunday morning tweets, Sarah Palin called President Obama's agenda “backasswards,” slammed Senate Majority Reid Leader Harry Reid for not understanding that "The System is Going Bankrupt," and defended Reid's GOP challenger Sharron Angle from an attack made on the Nevada Republican by the president for Angle's position on Social Security. The former Alaska governor also endorsed a leading Nevada newspaper's editorial which was critical of the president.

The Daily Caller's Jon Ward reports:

“LasVegas RJ editorial recaps Obama lecture 2 Runnin’ Rebs,” Palin wrote to her 187,000 followers on Twitter Sunday morning, referring to the president’s speech in Las Vegas Thursday night and using the name of the University of Nevada Las Vegas’ mascot — the Running Rebels — to characterize to his audience. “He’s got most disconnected, backasswards plan ever imposed on the country we love,” Palin said of Obama. Palin was following up a tweet linking to a scathing editorial in the Review-Journal that blasted Obama for his criticism of Angle on Social Security Thursday evening at a fundraiser for Reid. The editorial also said Obama has offered no alternatives to fix the problem with entitlement programs that are on the path to insolvency and is running the economy into the ground with anti-business measures. Top White House spokesmen David Axelrod and Robert Gibbs were on the defensive during Sunday morning’s talk shows, following a week in which questions about whether Obama is anti-business hit the mainstream.

Though Gov. Palin did not endorse Angle in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate in Nevada, the first woman to be the vice presidential candidate on a GOP ticket came to the defense of one of her fellow "mama bears":

“Sharon Angle’s right,” Palin wrote, misspelling Angle’s first name, “New workers should get to invest some Social Security withholdings in their own savings accounts & Washington to pay promised benefits to older workers.”

Though Angle was criticized most loudly on Social Security by Obama Thursday at a fundraiser for Reid, Palin instead addressed her response to Reid, a Democrat and four-term senator.

“What part of ‘The System is Going Bankrupt’ don’t you understand, Mr. Reid?” Palin wrote.

Obama’s criticism of Angle Thursday had a decidedly derisive tone.

Memo to Jon Ward: You do realize that Twitter limits the length of each tweet to 144 characters, so the Twitterati frequently abbreviate -- yes, even people's names -- to avoid having their messages truncated?

Anyway, The DC's full story is here.

- JP

Stacy McCain: Palin Power Strikes Home

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Perhaps the most stringent test of the power of a Sarah Palin endorsement will come August 24 in her home state of Alaska. The former governor has endorsed upstart Joe Miller in the GOP primary against Sen. Lisa Murkowski. At American Spectator, Stacy McCain writes that with a campaign chest of more than $2 million and her father Frank Murkowski's clout inside the state Republican Party establishment, the incumbent Senator would appear to be on the inside track to reelection. But Lisa Murkowski faces one major problem on her way to a second full term in the U.S. Senate. That problem is Sarah Palin:

It was Palin, after all, who beat Frank Murkowski in the 2006 Republican gubernatorial primary. And if anyone doubted the sincerity of Palin's "maverick" stance, those doubts ought to have been erased last month when the former Alaska governor and 2008 GOP vice-presidential candidate endorsed Joe Miller. As is her habit, she made the endorsement via her Facebook page -- which has more than 1.7 million subscribers -- calling Miller "a true Commonsense Constitutional Conservative."

Palin's endorsement had the major immediate benefit of boosting Miller's fundraising. Campaign sources were unwilling to discuss the numbers (Federal Election Commission reports for the quarter that ended June 30 won't be published until July 15), but if past performance is any indicator, Palin's Facebook blessing probably generated more than a hundred thousand dollars in online campaign contributions for Miller in June. That's a drop in the bucket compared to Murkowski's millions, of course, but because Palin's grassroots supporters tend to be small donors -- giving in increments less than $200 -- the Miller campaign can tap into those contributors for additional cash down the road, soliciting an extra $20 or $50 from a list of hundreds of people who've already donated.

The secondary benefit of Palin's endorsement is that it gave Miller the kind of national recognition that every underdog candidate craves. Two weeks later, the Tea Party Express endorsed Miller and credited Palin for calling attention to Murkowski's Republican rival. "Maybe a lot of voters don't know who Joe Miller is and don't feel he can win," a Tea Party Express spokesman told the Associated Press. "We want voters to take a second look."

Miller's challenge also gives GOP voters in the Aug. 24 primary a chance to take a second look at the incumbent's record. Based on her ratings from the American Conservative Union, early last year Human Events ranked Murkowski fifth on its list of "Top 10 Senate RINOs" -- barely more conservative than another notorious "Republican In Name Only," Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter, who switched to the Democrats shortly after the Human Events list was published.

The dreaded "RINO" tag can be the kiss of death in a Republican primary. Murkowski is pro-choice on abortion, while Miller has been praised as "a solid pro-life candidate" by the president of Alaska Right to Life. And Murkowski is particularly vulnerable this year because -- as Miller highlights on his campaign website -- she voted for numerous big-government measures hated by the Tea Party grassroots, including the 2008 Troubled Asset Relief Plan (TARP) bailout and the bailouts of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the federally sponsored agencies implicated in the mortgage disaster. While there have been no public polls in the GOP primary, Miller said the Alaska voters he's talked to during the campaign are fed up with the bipartisan deficit-spending spree in Washington.

Miller not only has Gov. Palin's endorsement, but that of national grassroots group Tea Party Express as well. Though Miller is still the underdog in the race, McCain says Sarah Palin's support improves Miller's odds. In 2006, Sarah Palin was the underdog in Alaska's GOP gubernatorial primary, but she soundly defeated Frank Murkowski because voters were weary of corrupt politicians and were ready for a change. Now four years later, voters appear to be in the same mood. We will know just how ready they are for more change when the primary ballots are counted in late August.

Read Stacy McCain's opinion piece unabridged here.

- JP

Gov. Palin endorses Todd Tiahrt in Kansas U.S Senate race

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On Facebook today, Sarah Palin endorsed U.S. Rep. Todd Tiahrt, GOP candidate for the United States Senate seat currently held by Sam Brownback, who is retiring from that body to run for governor of Kansas:

Thank Todd Tiahrt for True Public Service

I’m happy to endorse Todd Tiahrt’s campaign to be the next U.S Senator from Kansas. Todd is a protector of our Constitution, a pro-family, pro-Second Amendment Commonsense Conservative who has never voted for a tax increase and has fought to end the wasteful spending coming out of Washington. He didn’t just stand on the sidelines complacently, but instead actually battled against the bailouts, the debt-ridden stimulus spending, the cap-and-tax energy schemes, and Obamacare. In fact, remember on the day Obamacare was being debated, Todd Tiahrt was on the House floor all day working to defeat it, and he’s helped lead the charge to repeal and replace Obamacare the moment it was signed into law. We can count on Todd to take on the liberal spending agenda of the Obama administration and fight for lower taxes, more individual freedom, and less government intrusion.

Please join me in supporting Todd Tiahrt’s campaign by visiting his website at www.ToddTiahrt.com and following him on Facebook and Twitter.

- Sarah Palin

Tiahrt is the leader of Kansas' U.S. House delegation and sits on the powerful Appropriations Committee. His main opponent in the August 3 GOP primary is another U.S. Congressman, Jerry Moran.

- JP

AP declares Fiorina winner in California GOP Senate race

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Carly Fiorina, who was endorsed by Sarah Palin May 6, has won the GOP primary in California and will challenge Sen. Barbara Boxer for her seat in the U.S. Senate. Susan Davis has the details at the WSJ's Washington Wire:

California Republicans elected former Hewlett-Packard Co. CEO Carly Fiorina to take on incumbent Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer this November.

The Associated Press declared Fiorina the winner in Tuesday’s GOP Senate primary with just 10% of precincts reporting. Her closest rival, former Rep. Tom Campbell, led in the early stretch of the primary campaign, but ran out of momentum and money and had to pull his television ads early.

Tea party favorite and Assemblyman Chuck DeVore was also in the race, but proved incapable of getting his message out or gaining traction in a sprawling state with expensive media markets.

Campbell maintained that he was a better general election candidate against Boxer because of his own centrist record and California’s Democratic leanings.

However, Fiorina was well-funded and well-known, even though she has never held elected office—a fact that has proven an asset for candidates in this antiestablishment election year.

- JP

TPX calls for Danny Tarkanian to drop out of NV U.S. Senate race

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A leading Tea Party organization is asking Danny Tarkanian to drop out of the U.S. Senate race in Nevada. A news release from Tea Party Express (TPX) claims that the latest polling results indicate that Tarkanian has dropped into third place in the race for the GOP nomination, behind Sue Lowden and TPX-endorsed Sharron Angle:

The Tea Party Express is formally requesting U.S. Senate candidate Danny Tarkanian terminate his campaign for U.S. Senate as new polling data confirms Tarkanian has fallen into third place and dropping.

"Danny Tarkanian has been a strong supporter of the tea party movement, and he can best help this movement by ending his campaign for U.S. Senate," said Bryan Shroyer, Political Director for the Tea Party Express.

[...]

"We really like Danny. He's been personable, intelligent and straightforward in his dealings with us," said the Tea Party Express's Shroyer.

"Sadly, it has become increasingly clear, however, that his campaign has failed to catch fire with voters. He is receiving less support in the polls now than when he first announced his candidacy despite having spent over $800,000 to reach voters (according to the most recent data reported by the FEC).

If Danny Tarkanian listens to the tea party group and ends his campaign, it could head off a potentially awkward situation for Sarah Palin. Her father and brother have endorsed and campaigned for Tarkanian, but the governor has yet to make an endorsement in the race. The withdrawal of Tarkanian would clear the way for Gov. Palin to endorse either Sharron Angle or Sue Lowden without any appearance of divided loyalties withing the Palin camp.

But judging from the defiant stance taken by the Tarkanian campaign in response to the TPX request, the son of successful and colorful college basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian isn't about to go quietly anytime soon:

A spokesman for Tarkanian's campaign issued a statement calling the request a "money grab" by a consulting firm "making big money off the Tea Party Express."

"The Tea Party Express is leading the corporatization of the Tea Party movement and it's distasteful," said Tarkanian consultant James Fisfis.

It's not clear which of the two women the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate would support should Tarkanian finally relent and exit the contest. The Susan B. Anthony List, parent organization of Team Sarah, has endorsed Lowden, as has Sen. John Kyl and Jerri Thompson. In addition to the Tea Party movement, Angle has the backing of the National Federation of Republican Assemblies, Club for Growth, Concerned Women for America, and conservative talk show host Mark Levin. If Tarkanian refuses to exit the race, we're not sure if Gov. Palin would want to get involved in what is rapidly becoming a contentious Republican primary.

A new survey just out from Democrat firm Public Policy Polling (PPP) in Nevada finds Sharron Angle has surged ahead of Lowden and now leads with 29 percent of likely voters. Sue Lowden now follows at 26 percent and Danny Tarkanian has 24 percent of the vote. A recent Mason-Dixon poll of 500 likely Republican primary voters in the Silver State, conducted for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, had Lowden in first place with 30 percent, followed by Angle with 25 percent and Tarkanian at 22 percent. All three leading GOP candidates have taken pro-life positions.

- JP

Sarah Palin endorses Tea Party candidate Clint Didier (Updated)

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In a new post on her Facebook Notes page Thursday, Sarah Palin endorsed former NFL player Clint Didier, who won two Super Bowl rings as a member of the Washington Redskins:

The Right Game Plan for Victory in America with #86

I’m proud to support Clint Didier as he willingly puts it all on the line to serve Washington state in the U.S. Senate for all the right reasons! This selfless, inspiring commonsense constitutional conservative will help put our country on the right track.

Please visit Clint’s website here, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

Let’s get behind #86!

- Sarah Palin

Didier's pro football career spanned much of the decade of the 1980s. He was a tight end for the Skins for six seasons, and also played one season with the Green Bay Packers. He now shares head coaching duties with Wayne Riner at Connell High School in Connell, Washington, where the two led the Eagles to the finals four times, winning the state championship in 2002 and 2009, and taking runners-up honors in 2006 and 2007.

Didier, a Tea Party candidate and libertarian Republican, seeks to dethrone incumbent Democrat Patty Murray from the U.S. Senate. When he's not coaching football and campaigning for the U.S. Senate, Didier runs the family farm he came home to work after the end of his NFL career.

Updates: David Weigel has more on this race, and C4P has a good Didier video up.

- JP