As Republican U.S. Senate nominee Joe Miller prepares to face Democrat Scott McAdams in the general election, Sen. Mark Begich -- soon to be the state’s senior senator -- says Miller will hurt Alaska if he wins.
Reaction to Miller’s primary win is still raining down from both sides of the political aisle, after Murkowski conceded Tuesday night.
Alaska Republican Party Chair Randy Ruedrich said in a statement that Miller will headline an impressive slate of Republican candidates this fall, along with Gov. Sean Parnell and Rep. Don Young.
Miller spoke to Fairbanks NBC affiliate KTVF after Murkowski’s concession.
“She conceded the race, and I wish her the best. She fought a hard race -- we obviously need to work together to see that the general election comes out successfully,” Miller said.
But Begich says the November general election will be a loss for Alaska if Miller wins, saying he'll hurt Alaska with his views that the state shouldn't depend on federal money.
“Just the city he's from, Fairbanks: 28 percent of its economy is federal dollars,” Begich said. “In time our state can be on its own, but we're not at that point yet. And I think Joe Miller can put us at risk, put the state at risk, by his desire to not request and put those resources into our roads, airports.”
Begich says Miller, who is a lawyer, doesn't belong in the U.S. Senate.
“I'll be very frank with you: I'm not a lawyer, Scott McAdams is not a lawyer,” Begich said. “(If) there's one thing we have too many of in Washington, D.C., in my opinion, there’s too many lawyers serving in the United States Senate.”
The Miller campaign responded to Begich’s claims in a statement late Wednesday.
“Senator Begich is part of the Big Government, spending problem now restricting our nation's ability to fully recover economically,” the campaign said in its statement. “Joe Miller understands to get this country moving again, we've got to control spending and reform our tax system to help the American people create jobs. Joe is not just a lawyer, as the Senator states, but a West Point trained, combat veteran who recognizes the national security risks facing our country.”
With the primary election behind them, candidates like Miller and McAdams are looking forward to November.
The Senate race isn't just big in Alaska -- it's also catching national media attention. McAdams made his first appearance on the national news circuit Wednesday night, as a guest on “The Rachel Maddow Show” on MSNBC.
Maddow grilled McAdams on his stance on Medicare and Social Security. McAdams says he absolutely does not agree with Miller’s views that Medicare should be phased out and Social Security privatized.
McAdams went on to say that he is the only candidate in the race with experience in elected government.
Two staffers from Begich's office are taking leave to help McAdams’ Senate campaign.
Contact Jason Lamb at jlamb@ktuu.com
