Joe Miller (Alaska politician) win election via write-in since Strom Thurmond in 1954. Miller conceded the race on December 31. In June 2011, a judge found that Miller's lawsuit was aimed at winning the election and not in the interest of upholding the state constitution as Miller had claimed. He was ordered to compensate the State of Alaska approximately $18,000 for legal fees incurred by the State. Miller ran in the 2014 U.S. Senate election as a Republican, although a late-race endorsement of Miller by former governor Sarah Palin did not yield a win, as former Alaska Attorney General and Commissioner of Natural Resources
Politics of Alaska of the political debate centered on whether Alaska would become a Democratic or Republican-leaning state. Conventional wisdom had it that, with its penchant for new ideas and dependence on the Federal Government largess for basic needs, it would become a Democratic stronghold, about which Republicans, and the Republican Administration of Dwight Eisenhower had reservations. Given time, those fears proved unfounded. With the discovery of petroleum in Alaska, the liberal political majority in Alaska quickly came to an end. Six Republicans and four Democrats have served as governor of Alaska. In addition, Republican Governor Wally Hickel was elected to the office