It's good to see Libertarian Senate candidate David Haase finally decline suggestions that he step aside for Sen. Lisa Murkowski.
The reason is simple. Haase is a Libertarian, nominated by his party members (presumably along with some others on the Alaskan Independence/Libertarian/Democrat primary ballot). Lisa Murkowski is not a Libertarian. She's a Republican.
The Libertarian line on the ballot has one strong appeal for Murkowski: The state would print her name there. She wouldn't have the burden of a write-in campaign; her supporters wouldn't have the burden of remembering to both write her name and fill in the oval beside it.
But a Murkowski candidacy as a Libertarian would be like a ship registered in Liberia -- a flag of convenience, and that would demean both candidate and party.
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