On Monday’s Dan Fagan Show, broadcast at 650 KENI, Buzz Kelley announced he suspended his campaign for U.S. Senate and endorsed Kelly Tshibaka.
Buzz Kelley had finished in 4th place in the Aug. 16 primary and advanced to the general election, and many political analysts said he made the final four due to his name being confused with Kelly Tshibaka’s.
Buzz Kelley will still appear on the Nov. 8 ballot, along with Tshibaka, Democrat Pat Chesbro, and incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski. But Buzz Kelley is asking Alaskans who voted for him in the primary to instead support Tshibaka in the general election.
“I am suspending my campaign and I’m asking all those who supported me and/or my ideas, if you would now please throw your support behind Kelly Tshibaka,” Buzz Kelley said on Fagan’s show. “She is our best bet to deny Murkowski.”
Buzz Kelley also indicated that he was in the process of transforming his campaign-themed car into one that promotes the Tshibaka campaign.
“I am grateful and honored to have Buzz Kelley’s support and agree with his conclusion that presenting a unified front gives us the best opportunity to beat Lisa Murkowski,” Tshibaka said. “With both Buzz Kelley’s support and the endorsement of former Democratic candidate Edgar Blatchford as well, it’s clear that Alaskans from across the spectrum are uniting behind our campaign. Murkowski has grown more and more liberal over the course of 21 years in the Senate, and she’s now clearly one of Joe Biden’s best allies. Alaskans know it’s time for a change, and when I’m in the Senate, I will always stand up for Alaska values.”
Listen to Buzz Kelley’s interview here, with his campaign suspension announcement at about the 24-minute mark.
Edgar Blatchford, who was a Democratic candidate in the Senate primary, endorsed Tshibaka last week.
