Tea Party Express may not endorse in Alaska race

  • By Becky Bohrer
  • Monday, June 30, 2014 11:21pm
  • News

JUNEAU — A national tea party group that heavily backed Republican Joe Miller’s campaign four years ago has not decided whether to endorse anyone in this year’s Republican U.S. Senate primary.

Sal Russo, co-founder and chief strategist for the Tea Party Express, told The Associated Press on Monday that the philosophical contrast between the candidates is “not as dramatic” as it was in 2010.

“They’re all pretty much running on a conservative platform,” he said.

Miller was the group’s choice in the 2010 GOP primary because it saw a clear contrast between him and the incumbent, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, he said.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

The group saw Murkowski as part of the problem in Washington and endorsed Miller, who upset her in the primary. Miller wound up losing the contentious general election to Murkowski, who mounted a write-in campaign to keep her job.

Miller is running again this year and is one of three prominent Republicans in the race. The others are with Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell and former state Natural Resources Commissioner Dan Sullivan.

They are seeking to replace Democrat Mark Begich, a first-term senator up for re-election. Republicans see the seat as key to their efforts to win back control of the Senate.

Russo said his group finds this year’s top GOP contenders to be philosophically similar.

In evaluating candidates, the Tea Party Express looks at several criteria, including how committed they would be to reducing the size and cost of government, their ability to put together viable campaigns, a demonstration of grassroots support and examples that show they would be willing to make difficult decisions, even if they’re unpopular, he said.

Of the major Republican contenders, “I think we’re convinced that all three of them have that ability and willingness to stand up and make tough choices and get the country back on track,” Russo said.

Russo said his group is carefully monitoring the race. “But we haven’t gotten to the point of whether there’s one candidate we think is so much better that we should get engaged at this point. We may yet,” he said.

“We really need to find a candidate that will be effective in beating Begich,” Russo said.

He said defeating Begich is one of his group’s highest priorities this year, and he expects the Tea Party Express to be involved in the race at some point.

More in News

The Kasilof River is seen from the Kasilof River Recreation Area, July 30, 2019, in Kasilof, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
King salmon fishing on Kasilof to close Thursday

If any king salmon is caught while fishing for other species, they may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.

Un’a, a female sea otter pup who was admitted to the Alaska SeaLife Center in June 2025, plays with an enrichment toy at the center in Seward, Alaska. Photo courtesy of the Alaska SeaLife Center
SeaLife Center admits 2 seal pups, 1 orphaned otter

The three pups join the Alaska SeaLife Center’s ‘growing’ patient list.

James Wardlow demonstrates flilleting a salmon with an ulu during a smoked salmon demonstration, part of Fish Week 2023, on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Refuge to celebrate all things fish during weeklong event

Fish Week will take place July 16-19.

President Zen Kelly speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, July 7, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
School board finalizes budget with deep cuts to programming, classrooms

Multiple members of the board said they were frustrated by the state’s failure to fund education.

Former KPBSD Finance Director Liz Hayes speaks during a Kenai Peninsula Borough School District budget development meeting at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
School district finance department earns national awards

The two awards are based on comprehensive reviews of the district’s budget and financial reporting.

Children leap forward to grab candy during a Fourth of July parade on South Willow Street in Kenai, Alaska, on July 4, 2025. (Photo courtesy Sarah Every)
Celebrating the 4th in the streets

Kenai comes out for annual Independence Day parade.

Fire crews respond to the Bruce Fire, July 4, 2025, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Alaska Division of Forestry)
Firefighting crews respond to wildfire outside Soldotna

The 8-acre fire and two “spot fires” of less than one acre each are located near Mile 102 and 103 of the Sterling Highway.

Robert Weaver was last seen at the Doroshin Bay public use cabin on June 25, 2025. (Photo provided by the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge)
Updated: Refuge ends search efforts for missing man

Robert Weaver was last seen near Skilak Lake on June 25.

Most Read

You're browsing in private mode.
Please sign in or subscribe to continue reading articles in this mode.

Peninsula Clarion relies on subscription revenue to provide local content for our readers.

Subscribe

Already a subscriber? Please sign in