Write-in candidate Sen. Lisa Murkowski has won the Alaska Senate race, according to the Associated Press.
That call comes more than two weeks after the polls closed in Alaksa. State elections officials announced that there were only 700 votes left to count, with Murkowski holding a 10,000-vote lead over her opponent, Republican nominee Joe Miller.
The Miller campaign contested 8,153 write-in ballots that were counted for Murkowski, but she is still ahead by enough unchallenged votes to win the race.
The tea party-backed Miller won a surprise victory over Murkowski in the Republican primary, and has suggested that he’ll demand a recount.
Murkowski is flying back to Alaska today, and is expected to declare victory.
Murkowski’s win is the first write-in victory in a U.S. Senate campaign since Strom Thurmond’s in 1954.
The Alaska Senate race was the last uncalled Senate contest in the country. Democrats retain control of the Senate by a 53-47 margin.
Full coverage of the race here.
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