Senator Lisa Murkowski’s chances of winning re-election have just gone up in smoke. Libertarian Party nominee Frederick “David” Hasse now says he won’t abandon his campaign in order to clear a place for Murkowski on the ballot.

“I will not be stepping down to allow Lisa Murkowski or anyone else to take my place as the Libertarian candidate for the U.S. Senate from Alaska,” Haase said.

Haase said that he made his final decision to remain on the ballot over the weekend, a few days after meeting face-to-face with Murkowski.

Haase says he met with Murkowski at the request of the Libertarian Party and that Murkowski sat down with him at the request of her supporters. The two had a friendly chat but Murkowski wouldn’t budge from her bigger government Republican leanings. Haase says he’ll stay on to defend his Libertarian convictions.

The decision leaves Murkowski with just one choice under Alaska election law: A write-in campaign. That might draw enough votes away from Joe Miller to cost him the race (though I doubt it) but she won’t be able to achieve victory through the process.

It’s over for her Senate career. Alaska will either have a new Republican or Democratic senator next January, but Murkowski won’t be it.