JUNEAU, Alaska � U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who lost Alaska's GOP primary last month in a stunning upset to a tea-party backed rival, announced Friday that she's mounting a write-in candidacy in a bid to hold onto her job.
Her announcement came at a late afternoon rally in Anchorage as supporters surrounded her and chanted: "Run, Lisa, Run!"
The decision follows Murkowski's surprise defeat by Joe Miller in last month's Republican primary.
Murkowski has said she has considered her options since conceding the race to Miller and following an outpouring of encouragement from Alaskans stunned by her loss.
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin urged Murkowski on Twitter Friday afternoon to recognize that the state's primary voters demonstrated their support for Miller, a tea party favorite.
"Listen to the people, respect their will," said Palin, the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee. "Voters chose Joe instead."
The convention center where the rally is being held featured signs reading "Let's Make History," and had a table where people could sign up to help Murkowski's campaign. Prominently displayed, too, was a photo of the late Sen. Ted Stevens with his arm around Murkowski.
Stevens is beloved in this state for bringing billions of dollars in federal aid and project to Alaska, and he was one of her biggest cheerleaders before his death last month.
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Associated Press writer Mary Pemberton contributed to this report from Anchorage, Alaska.
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