Alaska governor’s defeat latest sign of surly electorate

Source: USA Today

By Kathy Kiely, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski’s defeat in his state’s Republican primary is the latest sign that incumbents are facing tougher races than usual, political analysts said Wednesday.

Murkowski got 19% of the vote Tuesday, placing last in a three-way race. His loss sets up a fall contest between Republican Sarah Palin, 42, the former mayor of Wasilla, and Democrat Tony Knowles, 63, who held the governor’s seat for two terms from 1994-2002.

Murkowski was burdened by a number of controversies of his own making, including his decision to appoint his daughter, Lisa Murkowski, to succeed him in the U.S. Senate. Even so, the decisiveness of his defeat is an indication of the “surly” mood of the voters, according to Jennifer Duffy, an analyst with the non-partisan Cook Political Report.

“Generally speaking, incumbents get the benefit of the doubt from voters,” Duffy said. “They’re not getting it this time.”