This last election saw a horrifying tidal wave of billionaire dark money sweeping over Alaska, mostly in the form of TV attack ads. In this sickening environment of lies and distortions, there was one act of betrayal that struck me as especially painful. Lisa Murkowski's.
Let's go back four years to August of 2010. In what many view as the biggest upset in Alaska political history, Lisa Murkowski was defeated in the primary by the far-right candidate, Joe Miller. She was beaten fair and square.
What did she do? She spent the next two-plus months running around Alaska pleading with Native Alaskans and moderate Democrats to save her political life with a write-in campaign. She promised she would represent those moderate voters' interests. Mark Begich didn't attempt to interfere; he let Alaskans decide who they wanted. In the end, Natives and Democrats did indeed save her.
Over the next six years Alaska's two senators apparently worked well together, collaborating on many issues and voting the same way more than any other split-party senators in the nation.
Fast forward four years to this election. Mark Begich, the champion of the Natives -- overwhelmingly endorsed by the Alaska Federation of Natives, and a true moderate -- was fighting for his political life.
What did Lisa Murkowski do? When Begich was most vulnerable, she stuck a knife in his back, going on TV and saying she didn't have a good partner in the Senate. And just as dishonorably, she betrayed all those moderate Democrats who had come to her rescue when her political life was hanging by a thread.
Politics is a nasty business. But in my opinion the dishonor Lisa Murkowski displayed is several levels deep. It's not only that she betrayed those who saved her. There's a long-standing tradition in the U.S. Senate: you don't turn on a colleague in an election.
And there's another issue. This arrogant act comes from a person who is a U.S. senator only because her father -- in an act of blatant nepotism -- appointed her to that office when there were literally hundreds of Alaskans more qualified and deserving.
Considering this history, you might think Lisa would show a measure of humility. Or at least show Mark Begich the respect and courtesy he had shown her. You would be wrong. Lisa was not inclined to let Alaskans decide for themselves who should be their senator. She needed to be the king-maker.
There's a final irony to this story. This election was extremely close. I believe had Lisa not run these saturation attack ads in TV, radio and print, Mark Begich would still be a U.S. senator. So, for those who bought into Lisa's "I'm a moderate" facade four years ago, well, there's a reasonable argument to be made that you'd have been better off with Joe Miller. Why? Because, A) even if Joe would vote with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell 90 percent of the time, so will Lisa. And, B) Joe Miller doesn't try to deceive you as to his true intentions, in contrast to Lisa.
Sean McGuire has lived 30 years in Fairbanks. He built and ran Cloudberry Lookout Bed & Breakfast for 15 years, and he is a longtime political activist.
The views expressed here are the writer's own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary(at)alaskadispatch.com.