Murkowski challenger hints at Palin endorsement

Fairbanks, Alaska, lawyer Joe Miller is in Washington this week for meetings with conservatives, trying to drum up support for his extremely under-the-radar challenge to Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R). He's got a great hook: On Monday, he says, he'll have news about former governor Sarah Palin's choice in the race. The strong implication is that she'll back him over the state's senior senator.

"Watch the papers on Monday," said Miller after one of his meetings with D.C. conservatives, after being asked whether he had spoken to Palin about an endorsement. "That's all I can say for now. We'll let you know."

Miller, who ran unsuccessfully for state representative in Alaska in 2004, drew very little attention for his campaign launch last week. But conservative activists are taking this rumor seriously, as Palin has never gone out on a limb for Murkowski, appointed to the Senate seat in 2002 by her father. Palin endorsed Murkowski's 2004 primary opponent, so a Miller endorsement would make a lot of sense inside Alaska. (Of course, anything less than an endorsement from Palin will now look like a setback for Miller.)