In Lisa They Trust: A friend of the energy sector, Alaska's senior Senator is poised to chair the Senate's Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. When Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, a moderate Republican with generally liberal social views, lost a primary challenge to far-right, Sarah Palin-backed Joe Miller in 2010 (Palin having long been a nemesis of Murkowski, whose father Palin defeated in the 2006 primary for Governor), many believed she'd reluctantly endorse Miller and go along with the party. She did everything but. The Senator ran a write-in campaign against the GOP nominee and became the first successful write-in candidate since Strom Thurmond in his 1954 campaign for a South Carolina Senate seat (and since Murkowski isn't primarily known for trying to keep black people out of restaurants, hers may be a more sanitary example of democracy in action). Her opposition to the Republican Party's chosen nominee angered party leadership and she stepped down as vice chair of the Senate Republican Conference, the fourth-highest ranking GOP post in the Senate. To the surprise of some, however, she was not thrown off the energy committee where she was the ranking member. Four years later, Lisa Murkowski is still in town and still the top Republican on the committee. Come January, it is more than likely she will be the chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Independent though she still may be, Murkowski is back amongst the ranks of the Republican leadership. Both independent voice and industry darling Murkowski, "ebullient" at the news of a GOP win, is ready to "put a hard hat on" and get to work as chairman of the committee. If her maverick style tells us anything, it's that she won't be willing to buck convention or party to go after her committee goals -- but it's unlikely the party will be opposed. From insider, to insurgent, back to outsider, Murkowski is one of the people to watch in the new Senate. Her decade-plus in the chamber has honed her skills as a deal-maker and her reputation as a moderate wins her bipartisan praise. And scorn. If her Democratic predecessor on the committee, Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, had to deal with a party at odds with the industry's goals for Congress, Murkowski has a conference that will be enthusiastically cheering her on. Despite all this, anyone who has followed the Anchorage resident's career knows that the independent streak that won her the seat she occupies is very much alive in her. If she feels her party is overstepping in one area or another, it isn't unlikely she'll voice those feelings publicly. Priorities Among the chairwoman-to-be's likely top priorities? Approval of the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, expansion of off-shore drilling, and changes in rules governing the exports of liquefied natural gas and oil (a policy that would benefit oil-rich Alaska) are presumed to top her list. "We are not going to abuse the process," she said of the Republicans' plans to (unlike the outgoing Democratic majority) allow the opposition to offer amendment. "Mitch McConnell has made that clear." Murkowski's staff has reiterated her commitment to regular order in the Senate, including in her committee. Robert Dillion, the top Energy aid to Murkowski, was confident in his boss' expected new direction. "Voters clearly want a change of direction on energy and resource policy,” he told the The Hill. “Sen. Murkowski is grateful for this historic opportunity to work with her colleagues to ensure Americans have access to energy resources that are abundant and affordable.” Riding the bull Today's market gains just so happened to be biggest for energy. The S&P 500 and the Dow hit record highs Wednesday in a post-election rally that lasted all day. Outside my window the sky is still threatening rain, but over at the Stock Exchange it's been raining all day. Investors are excitedly looking forward to policies friendlier to the energy industry. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 100.69 points, or 0.58 percent, to 17,484.53, while the S&P 500 gained 11.39 points, or 0.57 percent, to 2,023.49. The NASDAQ Nasdaq Composite dropped 2.92 points, or 0.06 percent, to 4,620.72. Meet the new boss... As the New York Times' Gail Collins joked last week, it's difficult to discern whether a Murkowski-chaired committee would be much different than the committee now under Landrieu. Both women are fans of fossil fuels and expanded drilling and both come from resource-rich states where energy is a dominant industry. Lisa Murkowski, however, will have the benefit of being in line with many of her fellow Republicans' views on energy whereas Landrieu, a relatively conservative Democrat, often pushed policies opposed by a more liberal Senate Democratic Caucus. If Murkowski is to move on her priorities, however, she may need some Democratic support, especially if Democrats plan on exercising what has become an extensive (and, frankly, I believe an obnoxious) use of the filibuster. The Republican victory does come at a cost -- many of the seats pulled out from under the Democrats in red states were held by moderates. Republicans are now facing governance in a Senate where the Democratic Caucus has become considerably more liberal. I've said it before: I wouldn't be surprised if some Republicans are hoping for a Landrieu win in Louisiana's Senate run-off this December, Murkowski not least amongst them.