Associated Press
A week after conceding the GOP primary, Senator Lisa Murkowski says she’s not a quitter and is “still in this game.”
Murkowski told The Associated Press today that she’s been inundated with calls and e-mails from supporters, asking her not to leave the race. She says she’s been humbled and is listening – and weighing her options.
“What I’m looking at is my state and the future of my state for my kids. So, I have not made that determination that I’m going to give up. I’m not a quitter, never have been. And I’m still in this game,” Murkowski said.
Murkowski met briefly today with the Libertarian candidate, David Haase after friends of hers – without her direction, she said – approached his party, asking if they would consider a Murkowski candidacy. She said she had an interesting discussion with Haase but made clear she’s not interested in changing her “political stripes.”
Besides a third-party run, Murkowski also could seek a write-in candidacy, which she called high risk. Or, she could decide to stay out of the race.
She gave no timetable for a decision – and her fate as a Libertarian candidate lies with party leaders who earlier voted against putting her on the ballot.
A party’s candidate would have to withdraw by September 15 so someone else could run in the November election.
She has until five days before the general election to decide on a write-in run but acknowledged a decision needs to be made soon. She said she’s listening to Alaskans and giving “considered thought.”
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