In the biggest upset to date in the current election cycle, unknown Alaska attorney Joe Miller has defeated incumbent Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski. Miller burst onto the political radar following the endorsement of former Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin.

Miller, a Tea Party candidate working outside of the traditional GOP inner-circle has upset the apple-cart for all those who say the Tea Party will have no impact in November by becoming the first Tea Party backed candidate to upset a sitting U.S. Senator in a head-to-head primary battle. Sarah Palin has proven again to be the conservative candidate’s best friend.

Murkowski is the third sitting U.S. Senator to lose this year as voter anger and dissatisfaction with the same old politics-as-usual in Washington has grown to epic proportions. Earlier Bob Bennett of Utah lost his bid for reelection in that state’s May convention, and Republican turned Democrat Arlen Specter lost his primary race for the Democrat party nomination in Pennsylvania.

The Tea Party is now emboldened by victories and an ever growing membership. Contrary to popular belief fueled by the national media, the Tea Party is not associated with the GOP, nor does it endorse all GOP candidates. Murkowski’s defeat is proof that Tea Party members back conservatives and conservative values and aren’t afraid to take on the GOP front runners and favorites.

Miller ran against Murkowski's liberal leanings and her support of legislation unpopular with conservatives, including her vote for the stimulus package and her wavering support of a promise to help overturn health care reform.

Miller, a relative unknown with no political history, was catapulted to the forefront when both Sarah and Todd Palin publicly endorsed his bid for the Senate. Palin worked in the waning days of the primary race by recording a phone message for voters supporting Miller. She also wrote an endorsement of Miller on her Facebook page which made national news.

While attending the Glenn Beck rally “To Restore Honor” in Washington DC this past weekend, Sarah Palin said, "Joe Miller is the right one for Alaska and he's the right one to help put our country back on the right track."  Palin also predicted Joe Miller would soon have a "final victory" in the Alaskan Senate contest.  Once again, those in the national media and national political scene who continue to underestimate Palin are forced to eat crow.

Several big winners emerge from this single race: obviously Miller, the Tea Party movement, conservative ideology and Sarah Palin, who has been active in the role of pushing conservative candidates across the nation during the primary season and who can be expected to do the same for the general election in November.

Now that Miller has won the GOP nomination, other Republican conservatives are quick to jump on his bandwagon.

Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) who runs the Senates Conservatives Fund announced his endorsement of Miller shortly after Murkowski's concession announcement.  The Senates Conservatives Fund now supports eight Senate candidates including Sharron Angle in Nevada and Rand Paul in Kentucky.

"This should be a wake-up call to Republicans that politicians who go to Washington to bring home the bacon aren't wanted — even in a state like Alaska that has gotten so much pork under its recent senators," DeMint said.