When I was a kid and lost at horse, I demanded a best two out of three rematch to salvage my bruised ego. Candidates Lisa Murkowski and Bill Walker are doing the same thing. There should be a difference between a pick up game of basketball and a primary election. Who authorized the Murkowski and Walker camps to rewrite the rules when they lose? Not the voters.

Are the Libertarian and Alaskan Independence Parties for rent? Are they available to the highest bidder? Will Murkowski play Joan of Arc and Walker Don Quixote. Supporters are calling so they just must continue their campaigns? Hardly. No, the voters have spoken and the voters should be respected. Everyone had the same opportunity. The election was run professionally. There are simply no grounds to change the results.

Losing an election is a sorry event for the candidate. I know. I ran and lost in a Republican primary. Those were the days of cross over voting. I didn’t particularly like the guy who beat me since he was supported by the Democrats to take me out in the primary. But he won. I didn’t run a write in or try to shop for a party to rent. I accepted reality and went on to change the primary election rules to exclude Democrats from taking out conservative Republicans in our own primaries. I supported the Republican nominee in the General.

Ronald Reagan changed politics. He was proud to be a conservative and asked all candidates to be upfront with the voters about their beliefs. He taught us that campaigns are about bringing slates of like-minded candidates together to let the voters decide which political philosophy they want. Today, Republicans are the conservative party and Democrats are the liberals. Republicans are fielding statewide conservative candidates, Sean Parnell and Mead Treadwell, Don Young and Joe Miller. I’ll support each of them since they reflect my conservative philosophy and beliefs.

Let me give you an example of a class act. Sean Parnell ran against Don Young two years ago for Congress. Now, I love Don and have known him for nearly forty years. I heard all the stories about the investigations and dismissed it. I liked Sean as well and his values. But Don got my vote. Now, the campaign if you recall got a bit rough. Don is a ferocious campaigner and said some things and did some “name assignments” that likely ticked Sean off.

When Don won by 300 votes, instead of going sour grapes, Sean endorsed Don Young. Why? He knew that if he split the vote, it could have elected Ethan Berkowitz, the Democrat to work with Pelosi and the liberals that are bankrupting our country. Sean’s choice was pragmatic, honorable. He didn’t run a write in or shop for a different party.

Republicans, Democrats, Alaska Independence and Libertarian parties all stand proudly for their values, convictions and the principles with which they govern. Gamesmanship after the primary sullies this honorable profession. The future of Alaska and the future of the United States are more important than one person. May the strongest team win.

Governor Sean Parnell will be a great governor in his own Administration. He quietly and competently took over a tough job and got it done. Joe Miller will be a very effective change agent in the U. S. Senate. Are there any Alaskans that do not believe that Washington needs change? Obama supporters will vilify him as a right wing crazy but keep in mind, they did the same to Ronald Reagan. Don Young is back to his historic strength. Those of us who backed him regardless of the specious charges are feeling exonerated just as he was. Don should return to leadership with his seniority and a Republican majority.

Republicans should count our blessings and recognize attempts to split us and make us ineffective are about personalities not governing through political principles. It is time to work together, to back our strong team and get them elected.