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Three Republicans Vying to Take on Begich in Critical Senate Race

Alaska Republicans on Tuesday will choose between three GOP challengers vying to take on Democratic Sen. Mark Begich.
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Alaska Republican U.S. Senate candidates Joe Miller left, Dan Sullivan, middle, and Mead Teadwell greet before a live televised debate Sunday, Aug. 10, 2014, in Anchorage, Alaska. Thousands of miles from the U.S-Mexico border, the major Republican candidates for U.S. Senate in Alaska clashed on immigration in a televised debate. Mark Thiessen / AP

Alaska Republicans on Tuesday will choose between three GOP challengers vying to take on Democratic Sen. Mark Begich in what will likely be one of the most important races of the midterm elections.

Alaska’s former state attorney general and natural resources commissioner Dan Sullivan is favored in the GOP Senate primary. Sullivan served in President George W. Bush’s administration and has amassed a large fundraising advantage with the help of outside groups like Club for Growth.

But Sullivan’s conservative opponents Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell and tea party favorite Joe Miller have also shown signs of momentum in a state that has a history of being politically unpredictable.

Miller won the GOP Senate primary in 2010 when he upset Sen. Lisa Murkowski, though she waged a write-in campaign to defeat him in the general election.

The race is one of Republicans best opportunities to pick up a Senate seat. Begich won by fewer than 4,000 votes when he was elected in 2008.

Also in a rare twist – there will be two Dan Sullivan’s on the ballot Tuesday. Anchorage Mayor Dan A. Sullivan is running for lieutenant governor

IN-DEPTH

-- Andrew Rafferty