Fairbanks attorney Joe Miller announced Tuesday that he will challenge U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski after all.
Miller said Libertarian nominee Cean Stevens has withdrawn from the race and her party’s leadership agreed to let Miller appear on the general election ballot in her place.
Six years ago, Miller ran as a Tea Party-style Republican and beat Murkowski in the primary. Murkowski retained her seat, though, by mounting a write-in campaign for the general. By then, Miller’s campaign was sinking under a pile of revelations about his past, and the handcuffing of a news reporter at one of Miller’s campaign events by men acting as Miller’s security guards.
In his emailed announcement of his candidacy, Miller accuses Murkowski of being too liberal and said he’s running to offer voters a real choice.
Other candidates in the race include Independent Margaret Stock and Democratic nominee Ray Metcalfe.