Anyone who was stunned at Republican Gov. Frank Murkowski's third-place finish in yesterday's primary hasn't paid attention to the race--or for that matter Murkowski's tenure as Governor.
Former Wasilla Mayor Sarah Palin took 51 percent to finish first, followed by businessman John Binkley, who got 30 percent. Murkowski got 19 percent in a primary that was only open to Republicans.
It is not an exaggeration to say that Murkowski laid the ground work for his own defeat within the first three months of his term. Among his first acts was to appoint his daughter Lisa to succeed him in the Senate. Lisa Murkowski won a close race for a term in her own right in 2004. The Governor also cut the longevity benefit for seniors and tried to buy a state airplane with homeland security funds. He attempted to make the construction of a natural gas pipeline the centerpiece of his tenure, but he came under criticism for the way he negotiated the deal.
Of course, any one of these examples would be enough to put almost any
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