ANCHORAGE, Alaska, March 29 (UPI) -- GOP hopes of keeping control of the U.S. Senate have been raised by the National Rifle Association's endorsement of Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.
The weekend endorsement is believed to mark the first time the powerful pro-Second Amendment group has officially backed Murkowski during her long political career.
Murkowski is considered the most vulnerable Republican incumbent seeing re-election in November, largely because of the perceived strength of her likely opponent, former Gov. Tony Knowles, and because the potential primary challenge might split the Republicans.
Knowles, a Democrat was twice elected governor while the GOP was split. Although he has never received the NRA's backing, he claims to also support gun rights.
Murkowski was appointed to the seat after her father, incumbent GOP U.S. Sen. Frank Murkowski, was elected governor in 2002.
