Will Murkowski Run as an Independent?

Speculation about whether Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who officially lost the Republican Senate primary to challenger Joe Miller last week, will run as an independent candidate for the seat is swirling around Washington.

Politico points to a story this morning in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner that has Murkowski’s spokesperson saying the senator has received much support since the primary, but refusing to speculate about whether she will run as an independent candidate or start a write-in campaign for the November election.

As I’ve noted before, Murkowski is a major player in energy policy in the Senate, having worked closely in the past with Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) on energy legislation.

According to the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner story:

Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski has received significant support since narrowly losing to Joe Miller in the August GOP primary, a spokesman said Sunday.

Murkowski has yet to endorse her Republican rival, leading to widespread speculation that she is evaluating options for a possible re-entry into the race. She has two options if she wants to re-enter: to be invited to run under the banner of the Alaska Libertarian Party or to mount a write-in campaign.

“She has received a huge outpouring of support from Alaskans, both individuals and groups,” Murkowski spokesman Steve Wackowski wrote Sunday in an e-mail to the Daily News-Miner. He cited support from Alaska Native groups and the fishing and energy industries.