The 2004 United States Senate election in Alaska took place on November 2, 2004, alongside other elections to the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

in other states as well as elections to the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

, various state and local elections, and the presidential election of that year. Incumbent

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

U.S. Senator

Lisa Murkowski Lisa Ann Murkowski ( ; born May 22, 1957) is an American attorney and politician serving as the senior United States senator for Alaska, having held that seat since 2002. Murkowski is the second-most senior Republican woman in the Senate, after Su ...

of Anchorage, sought election to her first full term after being appointed by her father

Frank Murkowski Frank Hughes Murkowski (born March 28, 1933) is an American politician and a member of the Republican Party. He was a United States Senator from Alaska from 1981 until 2002 and the eighth governor of Alaska from 2002 until 2006. In his 2006 re ...

to serve out the rest of the latter's unexpired term when he resigned in December 2002 to become Governor of Alaska. Her main challenger was Democratic former governor Tony Knowles, her father's predecessor as governor. Murkowski won by a slight margin.

Background

Although

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S. ...

is heavily Republican, popular opinion had swung against the Murkowski family because of a tax increase passed by Governor Frank Murkowski, Lisa Murkowski's father. In addition, many voters disapproved of apparent nepotism in the appointment of Lisa Murkowski to the Senate. Knowles, who as mentioned above preceded Frank Murkowski as governor, had enlisted extensive out-of-state support for his bid to take over Lisa Murkowski's Senate seat. However, veteran Republican Senator

Ted Stevens Theodore Fulton Stevens Sr. (November 18, 1923 – August 9, 2010) was an American politician and lawyer who served as a U.S. Senator from Alaska from 1968 to 2009. He was the longest-serving Republican Senator in history at the time he left ...

taped advertisements warning Alaskans that electing a Democrat could result in fewer federal dollars for Alaska.

Democratic primary

Candidates

* Tony Knowles, businessman, former governor and former

mayor of Anchorage This is a list of mayors of Anchorage, Alaska, United States. Anchorage was incorporated as a city on November 23, 1920. The Greater Anchorage Area Borough, which encompassed the city, was created in January 1964. The two were merged in a unifi ...

Theresa Obermeyer Theresa Nangle Obermeyer (born July 25, 1945), is an American educator who is a former Anchorage, Alaska school board member, having served 2 two-year terms from 1990 to 1994. Obermeyer made an unsuccessful run against Republican Ted Stevens for t ...

, former Anchorage school board member * Don Wright, former president of the Alaska Federation of Natives and perennial candidate

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

* Jim Dore, aviation mechanic * Mike W. Miller, businessman, former state senator, former state representative, nominee for lieutenant governor in 1994 and younger brother of Terry Miller *

, incumbent U.S. Senator since 2002, formerly an Anchorage lawyer and member of the Alaska House * Wev Shea, former U.S. Attorney for Alaska

Results

General election

Candidates

Major

* Tony Knowles, former governor *

(R), incumbent U.S. Senator

Minor

* Ted Gianoutsos (I), lobbyist and activist on

ANWR The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR or Arctic Refuge) is a national wildlife refuge in northeastern Alaska, United States on traditional Gwich'in lands. It consists of in the Alaska North Slope region. It is the largest national wildli ...

and veterans issues * Scott Kohlhaas (L), party activist and perennial candidate * Marc Millican (I), aviator, U.S. Air Force veteran * Jerry Sanders (AI), businessman, former state representative *

Jim Sykes James L. Sykes (born April 8, 1950) is a producer and elected official in the state of Alaska notable for being one of the founders of the Green Party of Alaska. Early life and career Jim Sykes was born in Rapid City, South Dakota and moved to Al ...

(G), party activist and perennial candidate

Campaign

Lisa Murkowski had very low approval ratings as senator due to her father,

, who at the time was the governor of Alaska with extremely low approval ratings himself. Former governor Tony Knowles ran against Murkowski. He ran as a Democrat who supported drilling in

, in contrast to most Democrats. Alaska's senior senator,

, worked to "rescue" her campaign and help her maintain her seat.

Debates

Complete video of debate
October 26, 2004

Predictions

Polling

Results

References

{{2004 United States elections Senate, U.S.

2004

Background

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

General election

Candidates

Major

Minor

Campaign

Debates

Predictions

Polling

Results

See also

References