Miller campaign manager: UAA College Republicans are 'puppets'

A little over a week ago, the College Republicans at the University of Alaska Anchorage held a meet-and-greet for U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski at a bar in downtown Anchorage. Former Sen. Ted Stevens was there, there was free food (though a cash bar), and according to reports a good time was had by all.

But the Joe Miller campaign, which is gunning for Murkowski's seat, didn't see it that way. Early Sunday morning Paul Bauer, Miller's campaign manager, posted an angry note to the College Republicans' Facebook page ripping them for their "endorsement of one candidate over another during a PRIMARY race." Bauer wrote that the students had "failing grades" in research, common sense, and true conservative principles and values.

The young GOPers were pissed. In an e-mail, Jeremiah Campbell, the group's spokesman, told Bauer the group didn't appreciate his "false accusations." Campbell ended his e-mail with "Please call my cell phone immediately if you have a backbone."

The College Republicans have not endorsed Murkowski, Campbell said in a phone interview. They hold events for any candidate that contacts them, Campbell said, but they never got a call from the Miller campaign. Campbell said that at a Sunday night meeting (held at the campaign offices of gubernatorial candidate Ralph Samuels, where Campbell is a staffer) everyone in the group condemned Bauer's note, even though the group includes both Murkowski and Miller supporters.

"The Miller campaign hasn't contacted us, Paul Bauer hasn't contacted us, and then out of the blue we're puppets?" Campbell said. "I just feel that it was unwarranted."

Campbell also said Bauer's Facebook note was "Palinesque," a reference to the former governor's love for the social networking site. Bauer took the student's comment as evidence of Campbell's "biases."

"The Republican establishment does not like Sarah Palin," Bauer said in a phone interview. "Everyone's trying to damage Joe because they don't like Sarah Palin."

Bauer said it's pretty clear to anyone paying attention that the Murkowski meet-and-greet was basically a fundraiser for the sitting senator. It's frustrating to him, he said, because he feels Joe Miller is getting stonewalled in his attempts to speak to Murkowski directly.

"I believe they violated a fundamental rule in a Republican primary to be fair," Bauer said. "Why are they going ahead and making this press release and making this such a big thing? Because they're Lisa Murkowski supporters."

The fight boiled over onto the airwaves Monday morning when Dave "Super Dave" Stieren spent his two-hour show talking about Bauer's note. Sunday evening, in a preview post on his Facebook page, Stieren wrote "First rule of politics? Don't attack those who might work on your campaign for free. Who would be dumb enough to do this?"

Contact Joshua Saul at jsaul(at)alaskadispatch.com.