Phew. After a dramatic primary race down to the wire, all the absentee ballots were counted and all options of running on a third-party ticket were vetted, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski has conceded the close race to Republican challenger Joe Miller.  Miller was the tea party favorite in the primary and received a much-needed boost after former Gov. Sarah Palin lent her endorsement.

Murkowski’s defeat makes her the third sitting Senator to lose re-nomination this year.