YIKES!! – AT 8:02 A.M. ET:  Stand by.  There is a major political upset underway in...Alaska.  Or, after today, maybe it will be called Sarahstan.  Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski is trailing in her bid to be renominated.  The clear reason:  Her virtually unknown opponent was recently endorsed by former Governor Sarah Palin.

If challenger Joe Miller wins, it will be a political earthquake, and shatter the myth that Sarah has lost popularity in her native state.  From the Anchorage Daily News, this morning:

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski is battling for her political life this morning against Republican primary challenger Joe Miller, the Tea Party-backed candidate who had a slim lead as ballots continued to be counted overnight. Miller, a Fairbanks attorney, led from when the first returns came in Tuesday night, and was on the verge of pulling off one of the biggest election upsets ever in Alaska. With 84 percent of Alaska's precincts reporting around 2 a.m., Miller had 45,188 votes to 42,633 for Murkowski.

Miller credited the support of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for his lead.

"I'm absolutely certain that was pivotal," he said.

Cautionary note:  The winner will not be known with certainty for a week, for 16,000 absentee ballots were sent out.  But so far, political history is being made.  And Sarah may well retain her magic touch.  I look forward to Katie Couric's spin on this.

August 24, 2010