Now that he's run for public office twice and lost both times, the man who nearly seized Lisa Murkowski's U.S. Senate seat can't shake his taste for politics.
Although Joe Miller has failed to convince Alaskans to elect him to public office -- the first time was six years ago when he ran for state representative in Fairbanks -- he has along the way proven to be a formidable opponent.
And this week Miller said he is likely to remain in politics, despite that the Alaska Supreme Court and a federal judge rejected his claims that the Senate election was unfair and that the state will Thursday officially certify Murkowski as the winner.
"I have run for office at both the state and federal level, in both primary and general elections, and am likely to do so in the future," Miller told a federal court judge in an affidavit Monday, one day before the same judge dismissed his case.
Unlike his high-profile supporter, former Gov. Sarah Palin, Miller -- a Fairbanks attorney with eight children -- possesses no political credentials other than running unsuccessfully twice for public office.
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In 2004, running for a seat in the state House against Democrat David Guttenberg, Miller lost by just over 300 votes. In the years that followed he became increasingly active with the Alaska Republican Party, aligned himself with the rising aspirations of Palin, and by 2010 was ready to again jump into the political arena -- this time taking on Palin's foe, Lisa Murkowski.
The tea party-backed political insurgent had enough momentum to beat Murkowski in the Alaska GOP's August primary. But then he lost to her in the general election after Murkowski staged a historic write-in campaign. Miller still managed to win more than 90,000 votes in the three-way race (Democrat Scott McAdams won 60,045 votes; Murkowski won 101,000). Miller challenged the election results, losing three court battles to undo various aspects of the vote count amid cries from many Alaskans that he give up his fight. As of Tuesday night, he had yet to concede to Murkowski.
Miller's apparently learned much from the experience. And in his affidavit, he explains where this may take him in the future:
"I have interacted with party officials, donors, supporters, and members of the general public in connection with my candidacy. I have been asked to endorse, contribute money to, and vote for other candidates. I am also a spokesperson for lower taxes, limited government, and a return to the principles of the U.S. Constitution, and aggressively have advocated on behalf of these principles on numerous occasions on television, the radio the Internet, and in newspapers."
Miller didn't mention his new-found status as a self-made pundit simply to add flare to his legal argument. He did so to try to convince the judge his livelihood as a multifaceted political operative was directly tied to how big or small his loss might prove to be. Where before he has claimed his attempt to change the outcome of the election was strictly about the integrity of the process and not about who wins or loses, Miller's court filing reveals he personally has much more at stake.
In his affidavit, Miller goes on to say:
"One measure of a candidate's likelihood of success, ability to attract public support, ability to fundraise, and credibility as a spokesperson for his or her causes is the margin by which he or she lost any previous elections. The smaller the margin of a candidate's loss, the greater the likelihood the candidate will be able to run in future elections, successfully fundraise, attract public support, provide meaningful endorsements to other candidates, and act effectively as a spokesperson for his or her causes."
So what's next for Miller?
Some have speculated he might leave Alaska and try to run for office in another state. Or perhaps he might take on a more active role in the national tea party, given the reference he made in his affidavit to aspirations of becoming a "spokesperson."
Like so many questions with Miller, however, answers are hard to come by. He has often chosen not to talk to Alaska Dispatch and some other media, and the answers he's given in interviews to those he is willing to talk to are vague. On Tuesday after enduring another loss in the courts, Miller had this to say in a prepared statement:
"I am disappointed with the federal court's ruling today. The U.S. Constitution's Elections Clause presented the most significant constitutional issue. Specifically, should the courts be required to follow the legislature's standard for the selection of U.S. Senators or create their own? My legal team believes that the clear language of the Election Clause as well as precedent support our claims. Thus, we are evaluating the ruling and determining what our next step should be."
While Miller contemplates what's next, his attorney, Thomas Van Flein, is preparing to move on, though he will continue to travel in political circles. Van Flein, who is a Palin-family attorney and close advisor who stepped in to help the Miller campaign navigate ballot counts and legal challenges, is headed to Washington, D.C., to serve one of Palin's successful political picks. In January, he will leave his law practice behind to become an advisor to freshman U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Arizona), who like Miller, was backed both by Palin and the tea party.
Now that the mid-term elections are over and done with, all eyes are on 2012. Will Palin make a run at the presidency? Is there a developing role for Miller to play in her commonsense-conservative movement? Might Miller try to unseat U.S. Rep. Don Young in two years? Or might he be more patient and take on U.S. Sen. Mark Begich in 2014? Could he be hoping to land, as Palin did, a contract with Fox News?
It's anybody's guess. But as long as Miller intends to run for federal office at some point in the future, he's free to keep raising money, something at which he's a proven winner.
Since announcing his candidacy in April, Miller has brought in more than $3 million. And he's still asking for donations. At the end of his e-mail statement Tuesday, it said: "P.S. Please click here to donate a gift of $100, $75, $50, or $25."
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Contact Jill Burke at jill(at)alaskadispatch.com.