With the notion of marriage - an exclusive, emotional, binding 'til death do you part' tie - becoming more and more an exception to the rule given a rise in cohabitation and high rates of divorce, why should the federal government be telling adults who love one another that they cannot get married simply because they happen to be gay?

- Lisa Murkowski

I believe that, as Americans, our freedoms come from God and not government, and include the rights enumerated in the Declaration of Independence: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

- Lisa Murkowski

Alaskans deserve a fighter in the United States Senate who will always stand up for Alaska, who understands our great potential, who has the experience, respect and seniority to accomplish that. I am that senator.

- Lisa Murkowski

Whether it was his ability to turn around the Massachusetts economy or turn around businesses in the private sector, Mitt Romney has demonstrated the leadership that we need in the White House to get the country on the right track.

- Lisa Murkowski

Like the majority of Alaskans, I supported a constitutional amendment in 1998 defining marriage as only between a man and a woman, but my thinking has evolved as America has witnessed a clear cultural shift.

- Lisa Murkowski

Freedom comes from strength and self-reliance.

- Lisa Murkowski

I've got two young sons who, when I ask them and their friends how they feel about gay marriage, kinda give me one of those looks like, 'Gosh, Mom, why are you even asking that question?'

- Lisa Murkowski

I'm not afraid to spend money on the R&D that's really going to move us to a cleaner energy source that I think is so much the answer to the issues of environmental responsibility and climate change.

- Lisa Murkowski

I'm a firm believer that if you put together a good product that is just good policy, that is embraced by both sides so that it is seen as politically advantageous to the Republicans or Democrats, that even in this very polarized partisan world that you can advance legislation. I have to believe that, or I wouldn't want to get up every morning.

- Lisa Murkowski

You've got to move us to these technologies that allow us to get to the clean-energy source. If we can't work to reduce the cost, you're not going to see them implemented unless there is a path of unlimited subsidies, and that's not doable, either. We can kick-start the research process, but we have to do that from a position of economic strength.

- Lisa Murkowski