Lisa Murkowski's Voting Record

DW-NOMINATE

Lisa Murkowski is currently one of the most moderate Republicans in terms of DW-NOMINATE scores. According to Voteview.com, which tracks ideology, polarization, and voting records of various politicians, Murkowski, as of the 113th congress, has a NOMINATE score of 0.192. Murkowski's NOMINATE score places her as one of the most moderate Republicans in the chamber. Only one other Republican Senator, Susan Collins of Maine, has a score closer to -1, with a score of 0.088. Murkowski's NOMINATE scores in previous congresses, according to Voteview, have remained stable. Murkowski has consistently held her score of 0.192, as it was also her score in the last 4 congresses.

The stability of Murkowski's NOMINATE scores show the consistency of her ideology in reelection strategies. She seems to feel that the best tactic is to repeat the same platforms and views that won reelection in previous attempts. This comes in spite of the fact that she has been frequently accused of being a "Republican in name only" by critics and websites such as "Conservapedia", a conservative, Christian fundamentalist "encyclopedia".

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PARTY UNITY

Given Murkowski's moderate approach compared to most other Republicans, her party unity score is unsurprisingly low. In the most recent congress, according to Voteview, Murkowski has an appallingly low score of 47.242. By comparison, Senator Mark Begich, Murkowski's Alaskan counterpart, has a score of 94.915. Interestingly, her score was a sudden and drastic drop from her previous party unity score of 59.316 which, while still low, is much more loyal and in union than her current score. Also noteworthy is that while her voting records changed abruptly from the 112th to the 113th congress, her NOMINATE scores have remained identical.

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ADA AND INTEREST GROUP SCORES

Once again, Murkowski's moderate stand on issues is reflected on her scores with both the Americans for Democratic Action and various interest groups. With the ADA, Murkowski scored a 30% on the scale, which was the highest of any other Republican in the Senate, with the exception of Maine's Susan Collins. The ADA's scales are highly polarized, with Democrats frequently scoring in the 80th to 90th percentile, and Republicans generally in the 5th to 15th percentile. With that considered, Murkowski's 30% is much more centered than most other Senators.

Accoring to Votesmart, a site dedicated to researching campaigns, budgets, legislation, and officials, Murkowski's most popular area for interest groups seems to be in the category of "Animals and Wildlife". In the year 2014, she received ratings from 3 wildlife groups, and 2 of them scaled her with a 100% rating. Of these groups was the American Veterinary Medical Association, which aims to "be the trusted leader in protecting, promoting and advancing a strong, unified veterinary profession that meets the needs of society."  The other was "Food Policy Action", which has a goal ""to change the national dialogue on food policy by educating the public on how elected officials are voting on these issues". Both of these relate to Alaska's unusual wildlife and fauna, which has launched several controversial issues, such as the hunting of seals, whales and sea lions, which have drawn federal regulations.

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CROSSING PARTY LINES

Out of the many issues in which Murkowski has aligned herself with non-partisan, one of the most outstanding is her left-leaning stance of various social issues. An example of this would be her generally pro-choice position on abortion. In recent years, she has received a 80% ratings from the Campaign for Working Families, and from NARAL Pro-Choice America, and supported the funding of Planned Parenthoods according to Votesmart and political news organization Politico. In 2013, she became only the 3rd Republican Senator to openly endorse same-sex marriages according to Politico, and was an avid skeptic of the Republican party's attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, according to political newspaper organization The Hill.

Murkowki's pro-LGBT stance has generated controversy in terms of party loyalty

Lisa Murkowski's Committee and Subcommittee Work

 

      According to GovTrack, a website allowing members to track current actions of Congress members that has been cited by the New York Times, Lisa Murkowski's committee assignments are as follows:

•  Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

• The Committee is made up of 12 Republicans, 8 Democrats, and 2 independents
• As a representative of Alaska, Murkowski is a predictable choice for membership on the Energy and National Resources Committee. Alaska is a state that relies heavily on its abundant resources. It ranks 4th in oil production when federal offshore areas are excluded, according to the U.S Energy Information Administration, which also lists Alaska is one of the only states to generate electricity from geothermal energy sources.
• Due to its pertinence and salience in her home state, service on the Committee on Energy and National Resources could be used by Murkowski as an opportunity to credit claim and appeal to constituents.
• According to the Committee's official website, current issues before the committee and Murkowski include a new Alaskan wilderness designation plan advanced by the Obama administration, and the bipartisan passing of an act increasing hunters' rights. Upcoming hearings within the month include discussions on an annual energy outlook, energy efficient legislation, and an energy outlook among others. 
• GovTrack also lists Murkowski as a member of the subcommittees on Energy; National Parks; Public Lands, Forests and Mining; and Water and Power                                                                                                                                                              
• Member of the Senate Committee of Appropriations
•  The Committee is made up of 16 Republicans and 14 Democrats
• Chairman: Thad Cochran (R), Mississippi
• Ranking Member: Barbara Mikulski (D), Maryland
• As a committee with power over spending legislation, the committee of Appropriations is considered a "control" committee in that it gives members power over other legislators. In this sense, the Committee of Appropriations is a highly desirable committee to serve on in a variety of ways and can benefit Murkowski considerably.
• The recent news and issues concerning the committee, according to their official website's news tab, includes the passage of a bill outlining a balanced budget without tax hikes and several statements regarding budget requests among others.
• Murkowski also serves in the subcommittees of Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Energy and Water Development, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies.                                    

• Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions 
• Made up of 12 Republicans, 9 Democrats, and an independent
• Chairman: Lamar Alexander (R), Tennessee
• Ranking Member: Patty Murray (D), Washington
• The Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions may not be as salient to Murkowski as the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, as it does not appeal to Alaska's reliance and abundance of nature, and unlike the Committee of Appropriations, it is not a "control committee". However, as a committee responsible for private pension plans and aging, Murkowki could have an appeal to a core group of constituents. According to a recent article from Fairbanks news site, Newsminer, Alaska's senior population has been quickly outpacing all other age groups in the state, is growing steadily
• According to the Committee's official website, their most recent issues and legislation has been in regards to bills to "support innovation", increase access to emergency medical services, and to strengthen equal wages.
• Murkowski serves on the subcommittees regarding Children and Families, and Primary Health and Retirement Securities                                                                             

•  Member of the Committee on Indian Affairs  
• Made up of 8 Republicans and 6 Democrats 
• Chairman: John Barrasso (R), Wyoming
• Ranking Member: Jon Tester (D), Montana
• In an article categorized under "minority health", the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, a major component of the Department of Health and Human Services, states that Native Americans consist of approximately 14.3% of Alaska's population, the largest Native population out of all 50 states. This makes the topic of Indian affairs a highly regarded issue in her home state of Alaska and gives her a large core group of constituents.
• According to the Committee's official website, recent legislation includes a bill to reauthorize the Secretary of the Interior, to take land into trust from Indian tribes, bills to clarify Native Rights under the National Labor Relations Act, and resolutions to authorize expenditures by the committee. Recent hearings have consisted on discussions of drug use in Native communities, Native housing assistance, nominations for the Chairman of the National Indian Gaming Commission.                                                                                                                                                        

Lisa Murkowski's Electoral Cirumstances

Previous Election

    Murkowski following her 2010 reelection victory

      

      Lisa Murkowski was reelected in an unusual manner in 2010 after losing the Republican primary to Tea Party candidate Joe Miller, but winning the general election as a write-in candidate, making her the first Senate candidate to win via write-in campaign since 1954, according to the New York Times. She won with a 4-point margin over Miller and 16 points over the Democratic candidate Scott McAdams. However, Murkowski managed to win just 39.5% of Alaskan votes due to the divide among the party caused by her write-in campaign. Therefore, Murkowski should prioritize winning the support of the party during the 2016 race to avoid such a crisis again, and a victory in the primaries would almost guarantee a larger vote than in 2010. Her need to appeal to Republican voters could easily encourage her to engage in more partisan politics, as she has long been criticized for appearing as a "Republican In Name Only" due to her stances on several social issues by critics such as her 2010 opponent Joe Miller and political commentator and radio host Rush Limbaugh.

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2016 Election Outlook and Predictions

    
      According to Alaskan political blogger and reporter Amanda Coyne, Lisa Murkowski has announced her intention to run for reelection in 2016. However, victory in the Republican primary is, once again, far from certain. Joe Miller, who won the party's nominee in the previous race, has been suspected of "playing nicely" with the GOP in order to gain support for another Senatorial run in 2016 by numerous accounts, including Alaskan political pundit and journalist Mike Dingman and Congressional news site The Hill, the largest cirulating new publication on Capitol Hill. As for the Democratic candidate, former Senator Mark Begich has been suspected to win the party's nomination, or at least run, according to several reporters from The Hill and The Washington Post.

      Nevertheless, Murkowski has generally enjoyed a favorable outlook among her constituents. In her most recent public approval poll, conducted by publicopinionpolling.com, regarded by The Hill as the most accurate polling firm in 2012, she has had a net approval rating of 8 points. Then, when her various incumbency advantages, such as franking privilege and greater name recognition, are combined with Alaska's Republican preferences, I predict that Murkowski should not have much of a struggle with reelection, even if Joe Miller divides Republican voters yet again.

 

Tea Party candidate Joe Miller

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2012 Presidential Election

      

      Murkowski endorsed Mitt Romney in the last Presidential election, according to Politico, which was consistent with Alaska's voting history in Presidential elections in its relatively short history as a U.S State. Only once in the state's entire history has it not voted for the Republican Presidential candidate, which was in 1964. The fact that her 2016 reelection race falls in a Presidential year means that the Presidential race will most likely capture most of the attention among voters. The result could mean less transparency and knowledge regarding the Senatorial election due to less coverage, and the Senatorial candidates could make their party's candidate in the Presidential race a major talking point in their own campaign.

After running against Obama's economic policies in 2010, 

Murkowski lent her full support to Mitt Romney in 2012

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Campaign Finances

      As of December 31st 2014, Murkowski had raised up to $5.8 million in the 2013-14 cycle , according to opensecrets.org. Of those finances, she has spent just over $5.2 million. By comparison, Miller has raised only a little over $431,000 in the same year, giving Murkowski a clear financial advantage. Democrat Mark Begich, while still not declared to be running, has around $4.7 million totaled in contributions from 2013-2014.

      Murkowski's top contributors consist of companies such as Edison Chouest Offshore, Constellation Energy, and ConocoPhillips among others. In terms of industries, her top contributors are Electric Utilities, Oil and gas, and lobbyists.

 

Murkowski's top financial contributors 

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Major Issues

       

      As previously stated, the fact that Murkowski's seat is up for reelection in the same year as Presidential election means that endorsements and discussions of Presidential candidates and campaigns could become a major topic in Senatorial debates. For instance, Murkowski, in an attempt to appeal to the party, may endorse and argue in favor of the Republican Presidential candidate to try and win the votes of her Republican constituents. Furthermore, On the Issues, a site documenting the stances of various politicians and voters, documented that most positions in the 2014 Alaska Senate race were on social issues such as abortion, "principles and values", and civil rights. This will most likely continue in the 2016 race, especially if Miller runs again, as Murkowski's view on various social issues, such as her pro-choice stance on abortion, has been the main targets of criticism from her party.

Murkowski's 2016 Reelection Strategy

Murkowki announces her write-in campaign in 2010

Background/Overview: Lisa Murkowski was reelected in an unusual manner in 2010 after she lost the Republican primary to Tea Party candidate Joe Miller, but running as a write-in candidate during the general election and defeating both Miller and the Democratic candidate Scott McAdams. However, the fact that the Republican Party was divided between Murkowski and Miller means that Murkowski could win only 35.5% of the vote, which would not typically be enough to win a Senatorial campaign. This means that Murkowski's Reelection constituency alone, unlike those of most incumbents, will most likely not guarantee her victory as much as it usually would. Therefore, Murkowski's campaign strategy has to consist of much more than simply winning her reelection constituency, which is the constituency that Congress members generally place the most attention on.

Murkowski's name written on a 2010 ballot

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Travel Log

(In the past 3 months)

November 22nd 2014- Anchorage, AK: Attended the Howard Rock and Ted Stevens Gala that recognizes the accomplishments and contributions of Alaskan natives

December 19th 2014- Anchorage, AK: Went to a local shopping mall to assist the Salvation Army and sing Christmas carols

January 17th 2015- Anchorage, AK: Attended the Great Alaska Beer and Barley Wine Festival 

January 31st 2015- Seattle WA: Visited the Arctic Encounter Symposium to discuss "charting a path to U.S leadership in the far North"

February 13th 2015- Anchorage, AK: Promoted and attended Alaska's 38th annual "Salute to the Military" to honor Armed Service members

February 15th 2015- Barrow, AK: Visited the Kivgiq Dance Festival, which celebrated the dance culture of the far North

February 17th 2015- Kotzebue, AK: Met with the Alaska Federation of Natives

February 17th 2015- Juneau, AK: Attended the Alaska Symphony of Seafood, and then speaks to the Alaska State Legislature the next day

February 20th 2015- Fairbanks, AK: Speaks at the "Go Red for Women" to show support against heart disease

February 21st 2015- Anchorage, AK: Attends the Grand Opening of a Catfish & Barbecue restaurant, before attending a U.S army rally session the next day

Murkowski with the female members of Alaska's state legislature

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Press Releases

      Over the past 3 months (since December 2014), Murkowski has given a total of 55 press releases. Her most recent release, given on February 24th 2015, regarded President Obama's veto of the Keystone XL Pipeline. She showed her disapproval of the decision, saying, "President Obama turned his back on hard-working Americans, hard-working families, and the businesses that grow our nation’s economy." Other recent releases in the month of February include, but are not limited to, her support for Secretary of Defense nominee Ashton Carter, her backing of a balanced budget, and her support of the Internet Tax Freedom Forever Act, a bill she co-sponsored, which opposed taxations on internet access. So far, she has issued 17 releases in (24 days of) February, compared to 21 in January, and only 17 in December, showing her growing activity with the media as time progresses.

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Bills Sponsored and Cosponsored

      Since December 2014, Murkowski has sponsored a total of 9 bills, including the Keystone XL Pipeline approval act and others bills that authorize the expenditures by the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and a bill to designate an Alaskan mountain as "Mount Denali", among others. By comparison, she has cosponsored 36 bills in the year of 2015 alone. Notably, she cosponsored 0 bills in December of 2014, and 25 in January, once again showing a rise in the amount of action taken in recent months. Recent cosponsored bills include acts celebrating black history month, acts advocating the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, and a resolution welcoming the Israeli Prime Minister to the United States.

Blog Post #1: Lisa Murkowski and Alaska - an Introduction

Born: May 22nd, 1957 (in Ketchikan, Alaska)

Education: Georgetown University (BA in Economics)

Willamette University (JD)

Spouse: Verne Martell

Other Family: Two Sons (Nicolas and Matt)

Political Affiliation: Republican Party

Religion: Roman Catholic

(http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/15841/lisa-murkowski#.VNquPO6BbsY)

(http://www.murkowski.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/biography)

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       Lisa Murkoski is a U.S Senator from Alaska who is currently serving as the state's senior Senator. She is only the 32nd woman to hold a position in the Senate since it's founding in 1789, the first Alaskan-born Senator, and the 6th Senator to ever serve the state. Since obtaining her Juris Doctor degree, Murkowski worked as an attorney from 1989 through 1998 specializing in commercial practice law. Her first elected position came in 1998, when she was elected to the House of Representatives from Alaska's at-large district. In 2002, she took over the Senate seat of her father, Frank Murkowski, after he was elected as the governor of Alaska. Perhaps her most notable of reelection campaigns came in 2010, when she lost the Republican primary to Joe Miller of the Tea Party. However, Murkowski then ran as a write-in candidate and won the general election.

(http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/lisa-murkowski-wins-alaska-senate-race-joe-miller/story?id=12164212)

(http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/15841/lisa-murkowski#.VNquPO6BbsY)

Advertisement for Murkowski's 2010 Senatorial campaign

      Murkowski prides herself on her Alaskan heritage and her upbringing in various towns and regions across the state. She is a third-generation Alaskan and recalls having been raised in Wrangell, Juneau, Fairbanks, and Anchorage. She cites exploring Alaskan nature and spending time in the state's outdoors with her family as a frequent hobby of hers. 

(http://www.murkowski.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/biography)

Murkowski with an Alaskan salmon

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Alaska

Population: 736,732

Capital: Juneau

Largest City: Anchorage

Admitted to Union: January 3rd, 1959

Governor: Bill Walker (Independent)

Major Industries: Oil, fishing, tourism

Motto: "North to the Future"

(http://www.ipl.org/div/stateknow/ak1.html)

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      Alaska is the northernmost state of the Union, and the state that is farthest east and west as well. Due to its abnormal location compared to the rest of the country, Alaska is home to many unusual industries and exports that are unfamiliar to the remaining 49 states. Alaska is further home to flora and fauna and nature that is uncommon to the rest of the United States. A notable example of this would be Mount McKinley in Denali, which is the highest mountain peak on the North American continent. 

(http://www.summitpost.org/denali-mount-mckinley/150199)

Mount McKinley stands at 20,320 feet

      Alaska currently has a recent status with the United States, having been the 49th state to enter the Union. Prior to it's statehood, Alaska was a territory of the United States since its purchase from Russia for $7.2 million in 1867. The acquirement of Alaska hinted at the growth of the U.S as a major power is the Asia-Pacific region of the world, although the territory was often neglected by the federal government, and instead governed by military or treasury rule. Since achieving statehood, Alaska has gained a political reputation for its appeal to the Republican party, and has voted for the Republican nominee in every Presidential election it has partaken in, with the exception of 1964.

(https://history.state.gov/milestones/1866-1898/alaska-purchase)

(http://www.270towin.com/states/Alaska)

The signing of the Alaska treaty in 1867