The Latest: Murkowski says she focused on being prepared

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The Latest on Alaska’s U.S. Senate race (all times local):

11:10 p.m.

Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski says she took the “Boy Scout approach” to her campaign — focusing on being prepared.

Murkowski won re-election Tuesday, beating out a crowded field that included Libertarian Joe Miller, Democrat Ray Metcalfe and independent Margaret Stock.

Murkowski says she started thinking about this campaign in 2011, shortly after her last campaign ended.

She says that included recognizing the need to build a strong team early and build a ground game to energize the people who supported her in 2010 and bring in new support.

Murkowski was reluctant to declare victory after her race was called by The Associated Press, telling supporters she wanted to see some more numbers reported by precincts. But she said she liked what she was seeing.

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10:30 p.m.

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski has won re-election in Alaska, fending off a crowded field of challengers.

Her main rivals were Libertarian Joe Miller, Democrat Ray Metcalfe and independent Margaret Stock. The race also included lesser-known independents and several write-in candidates.

Murkowski won re-election in 2010 with a write-in campaign after losing the Republican primary to Miller. She had a far less dramatic race this year.

One of her biggest concerns was with turnout, and whether that vitriolic presidential race would turn off voters and keep them home on election day.

During the campaign, Murkowski played up her seniority and cast herself as a pragmatist willing to work with members of other parties to get things done.

Some of her rivals, meanwhile, cast her as part of the problem in a gridlocked Washington, D.C.

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5:50 p.m.

Libertarian U.S. Senate candidate Joe Miller says he feels good as election day winds down.

Miller says his campaign has been aided by a strong group of volunteers dedicated to changing the direction of Alaska and the U.S.

If elected, he says he will fight to make the state a better place. He says he looks forward to a good result on election night.

Miller dropped by to greet sign-waving supporters in Anchorage late Tuesday afternoon.

He is among the candidates challenging Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski. The other main candidates are Democrat Ray Metcalfe and independent Margaret Stock.

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4:37 p.m.

Cora Malone, an undeclared voter from Anchorage, cast her ballot for libertarian Joe Miller in the U.S. Senate race, only to regret it soon after.

The Anchorage resident said she didn’t have a chance to read up on the race, and “just pulled a name out of the hat,” settling on Miller because his name was familiar. Then a friend chastised her, saying Miller was “not a nice guy” and was “worse than Trump.”

The 42-year-old Malone recalled saying, “Oh, oh, I really did mess up, didn’t I?”

Kacey Bond, a 34-year-old independent Anchorage voter, cast his ballot for Miller with no regrets.

Bond, an oil company health and safety adviser, saying his ideologies are a lot more aligned with Miller’s than any of the other candidates.

He said Murkowski represents the “ebb and flow of Washington politics” while he views Miller as a dynamic candidate who would do a good job if his late entry in the race doesn’t hurt his chances.

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1:20 p.m.

Voters across Alaska are casting ballots in the U.S. Senate race, where incumbent Lisa Murkowski is touting her seniority, but two voters in a south Anchorage election precinct are looking for change.

Christine Shaw, voting at Rabbit Creek Elementary School, says she has always voted for Murkowski but is choosing another candidate this year.

Shaw says she likes the incumbent but believes change is needed.

Shaw voted for Ray Metcalfe, who won the nomination in the Democratic primary. Shaw acknowledges she knows nothing about Metcalfe but says there needs to be a change.

Jeanette O’Brien voted for Joe Miller, who’s running as a Libertarian.

O’Brien says she likes Miller’s position on keeping out people in the country illegally. O’Brien says they take jobs from Americans.

She also likes Miller’s position on protecting unborn children. O’Brien says she’s a Christian and loves children from the time they’re conceived.

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12:01 a.m.

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski faces a crowded field in her bid for re-election including the man who beat her in the Republican primary six years ago and an independent who has garnered support from within the Alaska Democratic party.

Murkowski’s last two Senate races were nail-biters. In 2010, for example, she lost the GOP primary to Joe Miller but won the general election with a write-in campaign.

While this election has lacked the drama of 2010, it has had its surprises, including Miller’s late entrance into the race as a Libertarian. Several Republicans quit leadership posts in their party to publicly back his run.

Two factions of the Democratic party have endorsed independent Margaret Stock over their own nominee, Ray Metcalfe, who has feuded with party leaders.