It looks like Santa Claus might be bringing us an early Christmas present from the North Pole precincts of Alaska.

Joe Miller is ahead of Lisa Murkowski, but it is close and could be weeks before all the absentee ballots are counted. The Murkowski people are desperate and I’m sure know a few rogue elves who can deliver up some “lost” ballot boxes.

But so far, so good for Joe — who even were he to lose pulled closer than any polling suggested.

Last night on CNN I suggested that Palin’s endorsements only matter in some cases like Nikki Haley’s, but over all were no more impactful than other endorsements. Glad to say I was wrong. She’s five for five last night it seems with Miller bringing her up to six for six. And there are a number of state legislative races in Alaska where her support was critical.

Well done, Governor! Now let’s get Joe to Washington.

By the way, interesting tidbit from this Washington Post story. The NRSC advised Murkowski to attack her conservative opponent early. Nice. Wonder if they encouraged that for Norton, Crist, Lowden, and Grayson too.