Most moderate non-New England Senate Republican

[minionofmidas]

Remove vote-the-district stuff and Murkowski's special situation, and the answer may well be Thad Cochran.

[minionofmidas]

Yeah, that's exactly why I don't think Murkowski losing her primary was evidence of incompetence on her part exactly (many things, but not incompetence per se) if Castle's wasn't.

It was, though (or maybe just not caring enough - it's a bit like he lost interest in the race once he understood he'd have to work for it). Probably more so than Murkowski's, who couldn't do anything about the albatross of her nepotist appointment as that's how most people first heard of her.

[minionofmidas]

Come to think of it, the 2004 Senate race was closer than is/was considered usual for Alaska as well, wasn't it?

Of course. There's a reason the Dems ran Tony Knowles again - it was considered a possible pickup. Especially as daddy was going down in flames by then.