Murkowski Says She Will Rank Peltola First on Her Ballot in Alaska Legislature
By JASON KELLY
February 5, 2010
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), the powerful chair of one of the Senate’s most important committees and a moderate Republican, said Thursday she will ask voters in Alaska to choose her as the first woman to be elected to the state Legislature, according to a video recording released by her campaign.
Murkowski won re-election last year by more than 400,000 votes. She will be the first woman and the first Alaska Native to serve as governor. In addition to being the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, she is the head of the Senate Commerce Committee.
According to the video, the newly-announced move is also the basis for a new political action committee, which has the goal of electing pro-Murkowski candidates in Alaska.
“We are excited that Senator Murkowski will be the first woman of Alaska to serve as governor of Alaska and will be the first member of the Alaska Legislature to be elected by the people,” said David Bly, the campaign manager for Alaska United for the Senate.
“We have a history of electing Alaska female members of the House, of the Senate and of both houses,” said Murkowski’s chief of staff, Tim Moore. “We believe this will help continue Alaska’s record as a state with the most women, the most diverse population, with the lowest poverty rate and with the most people with health insurance. And by doing this and making the decision to create our first woman gubernatorial candidate as a result of the people’s choice process means more for the people of Alaska.”
In the video, Murkowski said she will nominate Republican Sen. Ted Stevens as the first female secretary of state. Stevens, who will be the first Native American elected to the U.S. Senate, will serve as the chief administrative officer of the state.
In the video, Murkowski said she has put her