UPDATE: Murkowski re-enters Senate race, McAdams reacts

SITKA, ALASKA

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She told supporters that Alaska cannot accept “the extremist views of Joe Miller…”

“And equally,” she said, “we can’t accept the inexperience of Mr. McAdams.”

That drew a groan from a group of McAdams supporters in Sitka watching the announcement on television just a few moments ago. 

Immediately after the announcement, McAdams told KCAW that Murkowski’s re-entry into the race will not change his campaign, and that the race is now wide open.

“Now it’s a three-way race,” he said. “We’ve got the extreme, radical views of the Tea Party Express, and what they bring to the table. We’ve got Lisa Murkowski, some of her corporate views, and her experience in really doing the bidding of multinational corporations, and then we’ve got myself: A Democrat, a small town mayor, an Alaskan, someone who’s served 8 years in elected office to Lisa’s 12. I take issue with her comment about our experience. We’re very experienced and understand our communities well. So this thing is wide open.”

Polls showed McAdams within single digits in a head-to-head race against Joe Miller, and falling to third in a three-way race with Miller and Murkowski. 

“I think it splits Alaska in thirds,” he said. “We’ll see who gets the biggest third of the electorate. I think this will be tight. I don’t think that Joe Miller’s support is going to peel. I think Lisa Murkowski supporters will work to write in Lisa Murkowski. But I think our base is motivated, they’re out, they’re ready to go. We made 3,000 phone calls this weekend. People are energized. They recognize that this is our time, our opportunity and I believe we will win.”

That's Sitka Mayor and Democratic Senate candidate Scott McAdams reacting to Lisa Murkowski’s re-entry into the Senate race.

Raven News will update this story for Monday morning's newscast.