Who's the winner in Alaska?

That's the question I've had since late Tuesday night, when primary elections were held in places like Alaska, Arizona and Florida.  The root of the question, of course, is the result of the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate between incumbent Senator Lisa Murkowski and Joe Miller.  All the precincts were counted, and Mr. Miller was found to be ahead by over 1,600 votes; the only reason his victory hasn't become official is that of several thousand absentee votes.  The results won't be known until September 8th, but the odds apparently don't favor Senator Murkowski considering how many of those absentee votes need to go her way.

The question for me still remains: Who's the winner in Alaska?  It's an answer which can't be denied and has an answer.

First off, the most notable winner is Sarah Palin.  Prior to her endorsement, the odds very much favored Senator Murkowski, a member of a political family dynasty in Alaska.  Because of her endorsement, Mr. Miller's chances increased greatly to the point where now he is favored more than his incumbent opponent to become the Republican nominee for the Senate (something both candidates credit Sarah for).  The primary election in Alaska serves as another example of the power Sarah Palin holds in today's political atmosphere (and which was felt in Arizona and Florida as well this past Tuesday night).

Secondly, the winner is the overall Patriot movement (the Tea Parties, the 9/12 Project, etc.).  The 2010 elections have proven to be remarkable because of the number of incumbents who have been thwarted in their own party's primaries, Democrat and Republican.  In Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Utah, South Carolina, and maybe Alaska, sitting incumbents have been dealt defeats in the primaries.  In Michigan, here in Indiana, in Connecticut and elsewhere, incumbents up for re-election decided to drop out of the races, fearing humiliating defeat in November (or earlier), and in states like New Mexico, Kentucky and Colorado, candidates endorsed by establishment Republicans were dealt their own upsets in the primaries by candidates supported by Patriot groups.  This is unlike anything seen with the right-wing in the past, 1994 included.  Their own support of Joe Miller's candidacy played a big part in his getting as far as he has gone (and maybe further).

Thirdly, the winner is America.  With the efforts of people like Sarah Palin, and of organizations like the Tea Parties, the 9/12 Project, and like-minded groups which are filled with people like me (people who want America returned to her constitutional roots, one nation under God, with liberty and justice for all), the major parties are getting the message that We the People are fed up, are saying Enough is enough!, and have accepted the need to pay the price of liberty with our eternal vigilance.

And hopefully, come September 8th, the winner will be Joe Miller.  As is the case with Rand Paul in Kentucky, Tom Tancredo in Colorado and Jackie Walorski in north central Indiana, if I were living in Alaska, he would have my vote and my support.  Go Joe!