Lisa Murkowski : Ask Biography

Personal data

Date of birth

May 22, 1957(age 59)

Place of birth

Ketchikan, Alaska, U.S.

Political party

Republican

Spouse

Verne Martell

Children

Nic Martell
Matt Martell

Residence

Anchorage, Alaska, U.S.

Alma mater

Georgetown University (B.A.)
Willamette University (J.D.)

Profession

Lawyer

Religion

Roman Catholic

Assumed office

December 20, 2002

Serving with Mark Begich

Preceded by

Frank Murkowski

Member of the
Alaska House of Representatives
from the 18th District

In office

2000 - 2002

Succeeded by

Nancy Dahlstrom

Preceded by

Con Bunde

Member of the
Alaska House of Representatives
from the 14th District

In office

1998 - 2000

Succeeded by

Vic Kohring

Preceded by

Terry Martin

Home | Office Holder | Lisa Murkowski

Lisa Ann Murkowski (born May 22, 1957) is the senior U.S. Senator from the State of Alaska and a member of the Republican Party. She was appointed to the Senate in 2002 by her father, Governor Frank Murkowski. After losing a Republican primary in 2010, she became the second person ever to win a U.S. Senate election through write-in votes.

Born in Ketchikan, Alaska, she is the daughter of former U.S. Senator and Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski. She graduated from Georgetown University and received her law degree from Willamette University College of Law. After working as an attorney in the 1980s and 1990s, she was elected to the Alaska House of Representatives in 1998. Shortly after being elected House Majority Leader in 2002, she was appointed to the United States Senate by her father.

Murkowski was re-elected to a full term in 2004. Her 2010 re-election grew turbulent when former magistrate judge Joe Miller defeated her in the Republican primary. Murkowski mounted a write-in campaign, winning the general election. The long-shot campaign made national headlines: the only other Senate candidate to win a write-in vote was Strom Thurmond in 1954. Murkowski is the only current Republican Senator from any West Coast state. Since winning re-election, her voting record has become more moderate when compared to her previous years in the Senate.