GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski had a tough first two years in the Senate. Not only did the newly appointed Senator have to learn her way around the Senate, but she had to ramp up a campaign as well. Since then, though, her road has gotten markedly smoother.
Murkowski was appointed to the Senate in December of 2002 by her father, Frank, who had held the seat since 1980 before mounting a successful bid for Governor in 2002. He resigned his Senate seat and state law allowed him to appoint his successor. After several weeks considering a list of potential candidates, he chose his daughter, a state legislator, as his replacement.
Many Republicans in the state did not greet Murkowski’s appointment with enthusiasm. Apart from nepotism, there has not been an open Senate seat in Alaska since 1974 and there was (and still is) some pent up demand among GOP politicians in the state. Many conservatives considered Lisa Murkowski to be too moderate, and she had gotten a primary challenge to her right in her last state legislative contest. Finally, it
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