Murkowski: Palin too disengaged to run for Senate

“In order for you to represent the state of Alaska, you’ve got to be in the state," she said

Published May 23, 2013 8:29PM (EDT)

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said that she doesn't think that Sarah Palin is "engaged" enough in the state of Alaska to effectively make a run for Senate in 2014.

“I think there are a lot of outside interests that would like to see Sarah Palin in some form of elected office. Most in Alaska recognize our former governor is really not involved in or engaged in the state anymore, that she’s moved to other interests,” Murkowski told the Hill. “In order for you to represent the state of Alaska, you’ve got to be in the state.”

This isn't the first time Murkowski has criticized Palin. In 2010, she said “I just do not think that [Palin] has those leadership qualities, that intellectual curiosity that allows for building good and great policies." She added: “I don’t think that she enjoyed governing.”

A group called  the Tea Party Leadership Fund is pushing for Palin to run for Senate in 2014, as a challenger to Sen. Mark Begich, a Democrat who is up for reelection. The group even commissioned a poll from a Republican polling outfit, which shows Palin with a slight lead in a potential Republican primary matchup.

 


By Jillian Rayfield

Jillian Rayfield is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on politics. Follow her on Twitter at @jillrayfield or email her at jrayfield@salon.com.

MORE FROM Jillian Rayfield


Related Topics ------------------------------------------

2014 Elections Alaska Lisa Murkowski Mark Begich Sarah Palin