murkowskiLisa Murkowski, a U.S. senator by means of her father’s appointment, is waging a write-in candidacy in Alaska against Joe Miller, who upset her in last month’s GOP primary.

Murkowski’s bid is a long shot but not the only one being waged by members of the GOP’s old guard against more conservative newcomers who bested them in primaries.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is running for the Senate as an independent after Tea Party favorite Marco Rubio secured the GOP nomination in the Sunshine State. And U.S. Rep. Mike Castle, the former Republican governor who lost to Tea Party-supported candidate Christine O’Donnell, has been eyeing an independent bid in Delaware.

Defying the will of one’s party means proceeding without its cash-raising apparatus. But Murkowski has an unused million-dollar campaign account, an association with the state’s pre-eminent figure for a quarter century, the late Sen. Ted Stevens, and the name recognition of three decades—the time in which she and her father, former Gov. Frank Murkowski, collectively held the Senate seat.

The Republican establishment has pledged campaign cash to support Miller. To counter the GOP’s influence, Murkowski will need a broad coalition of voters behind her. And that means competing with Democrat Scott McAdams to win the support of moderates.

There’s also the political force of Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor who was John McCain’s vice presidential running mate and is now the GOP’s, the Tea Party’s, and the conservative movement’s top draw. Palin drove Murkowski’s father from the governor’s office in 2006.

With Palin’s endorsement, Miller defeated Murkowski in the state’s GOP primary last month by 2,006 votes. Murkowski no longer holds back her thoughts about Palin. In announcing her write-in candidacy, she referred to herself as “one Republican woman who won’t quit on Alaska.”

According to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, Murkowski and the like will face a tough crowd this fall.

The survey revealed that 71 percent of Republicans described themselves as Tea Party supporters, “saying they had a favorable image of the movement or hoped Tea Party candidates would do well in the Nov. 2 elections.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.