ANCHORAGE — Republican Joe Miller on Friday, nearly two months after Alaskans concluded voting, that he is giving up his fight challenging the election of Sen. Lisa Murkowski.
Miller thanked his supporters and said the time has come to accept the "practical realities" of state and federal court decisions that have been unanimous in ruling against his challenges. He said he would remain a voice for smaller government, less federal spending and other issues favored by the tea party.
Miller didn't announce his future plans, other than a trip to Disneyland with his family if he can afford it, but said he would not reopen his Fairbanks law office. He was noncommittal about any future run for office.
Supporters at the news conference, held in one of his Anchorage campaign offices, outnumbered reporters probably 10 to 1 and cheered many of his statements and shouted down a few challenging questions by reporters. It was Miller's first formal press conference since Oct. 11, which he left without taking questions.
Miller said that he believes he raised legitimate issues in his case against the state's elections officials, and said he didn't think his drawn-out challenge of the vote hurt him politically.
Earlier Friday, he told an interviewer on Fox News Channel that he thought he didn't stand a good chance at the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which he said had mostly liberal judges.
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