Joe Miller, the 2010 GOP Senate nominee from Alaska, announced Tuesday that he has filed the paperwork to run on the general election ballot as the libertarian candidate, once again setting up a challenge to GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski.
Miller, a vocal tea party voice in Alaska, declined to mount a primary challenge to Murkowski earlier this year. He defeated the senator in the 2010 GOP primary. Murkowski went on to make history by winning the general election contest via a write-in campaign.
But Miller said Tuesday that the low turnout in this year's Republican primary suggested voters wanted another choice. And with Libertarian Cean Stevens' withdrawal from the race, Miller had an opening.
The Alaska Libertarian Board of Directors unanimously approved him as Stevens' replacement on the ballot, Miller said. On her Facebook page, Stevens praised Miller, saying his higher name recognition would give the libertarian ticket a better shot at success.
"The choice between a Democrat, a Democrat-backed independent, and a Republican-In-Name-Only _ who has been one of Barack Obama's chief enablers _ is no choice at all," Miller said Tuesday.
Democrat Ray Metcalfe and Independent Margaret Stock are also on the November ballot. Miller has consistently attacked Murkowski for not being conservative enough.
Murkowski, who won 72 percent of the August primary vote, responded Tuesday night.
"I have been preparing for this race for the past several years and look forward to a spirited campaign on the issues that matter to Alaskans most," she said.
Murkowski learned from her 2010 scare, and national Republicans say her more aggressive campaign this election cycle deterred would-be primary opponents.
But speaking to Roll Call in August, Miller disagreed. A big-enough name could have defeated Miller in the primary, he said.
Miller himself left the door open to a primary bid until the June filing. But he was hesitant to make the financial and familial sacrifices of closing his law practice to run another campaign. He was pleased when Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan got in the primary race. But Sullivan dropped his challenge soon after getting in the race.
If elected this year, Miller said he will caucus with Republicans.
This will be his third run for Senate. After losing to Murkowski in 2010, Miller came in second in the 2014 primary.
