(CNN) - The Chairman of the Tea Party Express told CNN on Friday that Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski's decision to mount a write-in re-election effort shows that she doesn't "get it."
"She was fired by the people. The people were given a choice and they voted for somebody else," Amy Kremer told CNN. Kremer said she was shocked to learn of Murkowski's decision.
Kremer's group worked hard to push Joe Miller, the winner of Alaska's GOP Senate primary, over the finish line. After endorsing Miller in June, the Tea Party Express sent in staffers to scour the state in support of his candidacy and spent nearly $600,000 to help his campaign.
Adding yet another twist to the dramatic Republican battle in Alaska, Kremer thought her conservative organization was essentially done beating back Murkowski's re-election bid. But told CNN that given this latest development, "Oh, I'm sure we'll be back up there at some point."
Murkowski's decision to mount a write-in effort is sure to spark anger among her Republican colleagues. On Thursday Brian Walsh, Communications Director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said in a statement, "Alaska's voters have spoken, and have chosen Joe Miller as their Republican U.S. Senate nominee. If Senator Murkowski is truly committed to doing 'what is right' for her state, then we hope that she will step forward and fully endorse Joe Miller's candidacy."
There is speculation that Murkowski's refusal to bow out of the race could split the Republican vote, possibly helping the Democratic challenger, Sitka Mayor Scott McAdams.
Kremer told CNN she is not worried about Murkowski's decision.
"If anything, it's going to turn more voters out for [Miller] because it's going to tick people off."
Kremer also addressed a fresh slam from Murkowski. In press release put out on Wednesday – stating when she'd announce her decision on a write-in bid - Murkowski wrote that she believed, "That the Alaska Republican Party was hijacked by the Tea Party Express, an outside extremist group."
Kremer told CNN her group is unfazed by the criticism.
"She can say whatever she wants to about us," Kremer said. "It's not us who voted, it's the people of Alaska and I don't think they're too extreme."
From CNN Politics
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good for her !!!!!! keep up the fight a right white America is not what we need
Another case of self ego and no team play. She might have to go out and get a real job, instead of living off the government. With luck she'll split the votes and the democrate will coast into the seat. What part of NO does she not understand.
Miller will win and beat Murkowski and Adams. The RINOS and libtards are demoralized in the face of the Tea Party express train.
Might as will stay home, cause we are goin' win and stop socializm.
She gets it! It is just that the right wing extremists (teabuggers)don't get it yet, but will in November!
She is wasting her time. Give it up, Murkowski.
This is too funny. Hey Tea Party, if you're so sure of your candidate why are you scared of the write-in effort. You morons deserve to eat your own. GO DEMS!!!!!!!
The people were given a choice and they voted for somebody else
Yup. They voted for Barack Obama. And less than a month after he took office, a bunch of sore losers co-opted the name "Tea Party" from a rant by Rick Santelli and started blaming him for everything the Republicans they're now trying to un-fire did for the last 10 years.
She was fired by the Right wing of the Republican Party. This is a free country, she can run as a write in candidate if she wants if the rules allow it. What are the Tea Partier's afraid of?
Maybe she is doing right by Alaska. Maybe she feels that Scott Miller would be better for Alaska than Joe Miller.
Also, if she was "fired" why should she want to help those who defeated her? I thought Country and State came before Party.
She wasn't fired by the people. She was canned instead by the Koch Brothers.
How do you tell good from evil? Give it power.
Tea party express doesn’t get it
She has all the rights constitution allowed her to do it so
Tea party express BUCK UP
I hope she wins.
It's the Teatards who don't get it. Murkowski wasn't "fired by the people", she was denied the nomination of her party for a second term due to a very vocal minority of whack jobs from her own party combined with apathy on the part of more moderate Republicans.
These fools are in for a rude awakiening in November when the half-wits and nutjobs they have forced upon the GOP start dropping like flies.
Of course the Tea Party in Alaska is a force to be reckoned with, these are ignorant people who are proud of being ignorant. These people are mainly trappers, hunters, loggers and fishermen. They are not about intellect. They are about whiskey, snow and chainsaws. Although there are probably a few intelligent people in Alaska, for the most part, everything has to be explained in simple terms for these people.
Hey RINO Lisa, I'll try to be as kind, but direct as possible: YOU LOST SO FIND ANOTHER OCCUPATION!
It is her right to run as an independent. The Tea Party is demonstrating the same behavior that they accused the GOP establishment. I say more power to her!
What part of "LOSER" does she fail to understand?????
Too bad the right wing extremists don't get it either...
You go Lisa! I'd rather have you in there than the crazy, tea party-palin backed crazy in there.
Plus it'll help split the GOP vote and get another Democrat in Congress for Alaska. YEAH!!
Once again, Palin sees the world from her own world view. The "People" did not fire Murkowski. Barely more than half of all REPUBLICANs that voted in the primary (a number which was only a subset of registered Republicans and likely November Republican voters) voted against Murkowski). Nearly 3/4 of Alaska's registered voters have yet to be heard from. Is Palin saying that their wishes don't matter? That's not very American.
It's not the people that defeated her, it's the republican voters, there is a difference and for people that pride themselves of being strict constitutionalists that is quite a mistake. The people will decide in the general election, there is nothing in the constitution about primaries......anyway it's good news, it only strengthens the democratic candidate, another sure republican senate seat that is going democratic, great news, keep going tea party!!!!!
Murkowski was defeated. She doesn't get it. Another example of career politicians that need to go. We don't need career politicians.
I guess she doesn't want to stand in the unemployment line.She lost in the primary and she will lose in the general election.
Teas Party express don't get it. They're not a part of the Tea Party. We're not extremist or racist. We are strictly for cleansing this country of undesirables an incumbents.
Murkowski starts a write-in bid, Crist runs as an independent and Specter switches parties. What happened to letting the electoral process play out the way it should? Candidates run, some lose and we move on. Seems like some of the entrenched politicians can't believe the people might want a change.