Alaska GOP Senate candidate Miller to attend D.C. fundraisers

Alaska Republican Senate candidate Joe Miller will travel to Washington, D.C., for a series of fundraisers at the end of September, according to sources with knowledge of his plans.

This will be Miller’s first visit to the nation’s capital since his stunning primary victory over Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) last month. Miller will be in D.C. from Sept. 29 through Oct. 1, sources said.
 
Miller has hired the D.C.-based Gula Graham Group — whose clients include several incumbent Republican lawmakers and challengers on the ballot this fall — to assist him in raising funds. Co-founder and partner Jonathan Graham declined to comment to The Hill. A Miller campaign spokesman was not available for comment.
 
But sources knowledgeable about his plans say the fundraisers will likely include events hosted by energy companies — including one by the independent refiner Tesoro Corp.
 
National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesman Brian Walsh could not confirm Miller’s D.C. fundraising plans, while noting the NRSC sent $42,600 to Miller this week. This is the maximum the NRSC is allowed to give by essentially cutting a check.
 
NRSC has also contributed the maximum of $178,000 allowed in Alaska for “coordinated” funding, which could, for example, go toward sponsoring ads Miller’s campaign runs. 

“We’re demonstrating our commitment to his candidacy and helping him win,” Walsh said.

NRSC has not yet spent any unlimited independent expenditures on Miller’s campaign or on any other Senate Republican races, Walsh said.

Murkowski is mulling a possible write-in campaign to try to win reelection as an independent. Her campaign spokesman Steve Wackowski said no announcement is planned for Thursday or Friday. "The senator is still weighing her options," he said.