Miller Maintains Lead; Waiting on Absentee Ballots

Len Anderson, KSKA – Anchorage

As of this morning, with nearly 98 percent of the statewide precincts reporting, Joe Miller’s lead over incumbent Senator Lisa Murkowski in the Republican primary has shrunk a bit, but the challenger still has a just under 2,000 vote lead.

Late last night, Miller credited his volunteers.

Murkowski’s campaign manager, Steve Wackowski, said the the results so far are not altogether a surprise.

In the congressional race, incumbent Republican Don Young easily won his primary and will face Democrat Harry Crawford, who was unopposed.

Governor Sean Parnell captured nearly 50 percent of the Republican primary vote, with Bill Walker second with around 34 percent.   Parnell will face Democrat Ethan Berkowitz in November.  Berkowitz beat off Hollis French’s late campaign surge to currently lead by more than 3,700 votes.

Diane Benson has 65 percent of the vote in the Democrat’s Lieutenant Governor’s race;  Meade Treadwell collected nearly 50 percent for the Republican Lieutenant Governor’s nomination.

Ballot Measure One, dubbed the anti-corruption proposition by proponents and the gag-law by opponents, suffered a more than 32,000 vote drubbing.   Alaska Education Association Barb Anguyuk was one of the leaders against Measure One.Meanwhile, Ballot Measure Two, which will require doctors to notify parents or guardians if a minor under the age of 18 seeks an abortion captured around 55 percent approval.   Bernadette Wilson was the Vote Yes on Two campaign manager.

This primary’s award for closest primary race goes to the Republicans in House District 12 in the Valdez area.

As of this morning, unofficial results Eric Feige leads with 666 votes, Don Haase, 660, and Pete Fellman, 658.  The eventual winner will face Democrat Bert Cottle.

Slideshow photos by Josh Edge, APRN – Anchorage and Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage

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