ANWR: A Reality With Republican Victories Across The Country
Anchorage, AK - Senator Lisa Murkowski said that if she and other pro-ANWR candidates across the country are elected this year the possibility of opening ANWR is very real. With many pro-ANWR Republicans in competitive races for the U.S. Senate this year, there are increased hopes of opening ANWR in the 109th Congress. Since the last successful passage of ANWR and the subsequent veto by President Bill Clinton in 1995, any chances in the Senate of opening ANWR to drilling have been killed by Democratic opposition.
In Florida, Secretary Mel Martinez is leading Democrat Betty Castor 50% to 46%. Martinez is decidedly pro-ANWR saying, "I do support drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve. Congress needs to pass President Bush's comprehensive energy plan." In Colorado, Republican Pete Coors is in a tight race with Democrat Ken Salazar. "Coors supports President Bush's push to open Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. During a debate, he called the area "a postage stamp in a football field." (http://www.surveyusa.com/currentelectionpolls.html; Orlando Sentinel, 8/29/04; Environment and Energy Daily, 9/23/04)
Congressmen John Thune of South Dakota, Jim DeMint of South Carolina, George Nethercutt of Washington and Richard Burr of North Carolina have all voted in the U.S House of Representatives to open ANWR and are all leading or in competitive races for the U.S. Senate. (Bill HR 4, #2001-317 8/1/01)
Meanwhile, Tony Knowles maintains an empty promise that he will be the better advocate for opening ANWR. He is currently running a radio ad blaming both Governor Frank Murkowski and Lisa Murkowski for ANWR not being opened. The Knowles ad "24 years" drew the ire of Senator Ted Stevens today as he denounced the ad for implicitly accusing him of failing on ANWR as well. Stevens went on to say that he and the entire Alaska Delegation have worked tirelessly to open ANWR and that anyone blaming Lisa for ANWR being closed also blames him.
Should Knowles win there are only two ANWR scenarios. Either Tony will be a junior Senator in a minority party with no seniority and no chance of swaying anyone on the issue, or Tony's election will trigger a Democratic majority in the Senate - a majority where Tony will have to vote for Tom Daschle as his party leader, a leader who consistently says ANWR is D.O.A.
"With the Alaska team of Senators Murkowski, Stevens and Congressman Don Young returning to the Congress and the possibility of picking up multiple pro-ANWR Republican seats across the country, the future of opening ANWR in the 109th Congress is bright," said Kristin Pugh campaign spokesperson. "Despite what Tony Knowles tells Alaskans, his possible election and a Democratic Senate majority will continue to close the door to ANWR development."