McAdams' success in fundraising and in the polls has Murkowski scared, apparently, and she's reacted to it by trying to poach Dem votes by creating Democratic endorsements from whole cloth. This week, her campaign sent out a mailer to Democrats in Alaska claiming support she does not have.
The mailer's banner states: "Alaskan Democrats Who Are Voting for Lisa Murkowski -- and not Scott McAdams." Below the headline are several quotes from politicians including Democratic gubernatorial candidates Ethan Berkowitz and Bob Poe, who dropped out of the governor's race.
Alaska Democratic Party Chair Patti Higgins says some of the quotes used about the sitting senator are from the past, and many of the candidates have openly stated they will be voting for Scott McAdams.
"If you're going to be a United States senator then you have to be more careful than that," Higgins says. "When you go out with a hard hitting piece claiming more support than you have and it's deceiving, it shows she is desperate."
In response, some of the Dems included on the mailer set the record straight:
- Ethan Berkowitz, Democratic Nominee for Alaska Governor, stated, "I am voting for Scott McAdams. I unequivocally deny what Lisa claims and call on her to correct this blatant lie." 1:27 p.m., Friday, October 22, 2010
- Don Mitchell, local Democrat guru who writes for the Huffington Post, "I have NOT said I am voting for Lisa Murkowski, and I was not contacted by her campaign before she sent this." 2:29 p.m., Friday, October 22, 2010
In a separate statement, Sen. Murray's campaign manager Jeff Bjornstad said:
"Neither Sen. Murray nor her campaign authorized the use of these comments. It's unfortunate her comments about bipartisanship were used in a partisan manner against an excellent candidate like Scott McAdams. Scott McAdams shares the values Sen. Murray fights for every day. She'll be proud to work with him as Alaska's next senator."
The Murkowski campaign is calling the flyer a "mistake."
"Murkowski campaign manager Kevin Sweeney said it was the campaign's fault in last-minute changes to the flier. He said the headline should have read: "What Alaskan Democrats are saying about Lisa Murkowski."
He said the campaign called Berkowitz and McAdams offices to apologize, and Murkowski called Berkowitz personally.
Right, a simple error, because it's so easy to confuse "Democrats who are voting for" with "what Democrats are saying." And print on thousands of mailers and not catch the error in checking the proofs. And then sending those thousands of mailers without double-checking the copy.
We already know that Murkowski is lying to try to poach enough Dem voters to give her unlikely bid for re-election half a chance. But what Alaska Dems need to remember is: a) the party is united behind the actual Democrat in the race--Scott McAdams; and b) Murkowski is not going to turn into a progressive or even and independent if she somehow pulls out a miracle win. She's already proven it by saying she'll caucus with the Republicans again if she goes back.
Murkowski is desperate, and she's a liar. The momentum in the race has been all been with McAdams, and with Miller self-destructing, the Dem is a very real threat. Alaska Democrats might be thinking that they're avoiding the Miller disaster by writing her in, and that's what she's counting on. But these Dems need to know that with consolidated Dem support, McAdams can beat both Republicans. And that Murkowski won't be representing them.
Help McAdams get the word out about what his fellow Dems really believe.