ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The defeat of Republican Gov. Frank Murkowski in Alaska's GOP primary may have resulted from missteps throughout his first term - but vulnerable incumbents should take heed, political observers said Wednesday.
Murkowski was trounced in his own party's primary Tuesday, finishing last in the three-way race. Sarah Palin, a former Wasilla mayor, won with more than 50 percent of the vote and will face former Democratic Gov. Tony Knowles in November.
Murkowski took just 19 percent of the vote, which is "literally almost unprecedented for someone who is not indicted," said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics.
Popular opinion turned on Murkowski after missteps that constantly thrust him into battle with his political opponents and his own Republican-led Legislature.
The governor spent 22 years in the Senate before becoming governor, and Sabato said he may not have been used to the spotlight of state politics.
Other incumbents unseated in a major national primary election this month: Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, Democratic Rep. Cynthia McKinney of Georgia and Republican Rep. Joe Schwarz of Michigan.
Sheila Krumholz, acting executive director for the Center for Responsive Politics, said time will tell if the losses are harbingers of a groundswell.
Phil Musser, executive director of the Republican Governors Association, said Murkowski is not part of a nationwide trend.
"Governors races are really state-specific affairs and are really tied to local affairs," he said.
