Joe Miller finally conceded the Alaska Senate race to Sen. Lisa Murkowski Friday, indicating he would not pursue further legal action in the last unresolved race of the 2010 cycle. 
 
 At a news conference Friday, Miller told a group of supporters he would not appeal Murkowski's 10,000-vote write-in victory, effectively ending two months of legal battles in which the GOP nominee challenged the legitimacy of the incumbent's win. 
 
 On Thursday Murkowski was officially certified the winner, allowing her to be sworn in on Jan. 5 along with the full slate of newly elected senators. Her victory over Miller marks the first time a senator has won as write-in candidate since Strom Thurmond in 1954. 
 
 
 
 Miller had sued the state over what he considered its improper attempts to determine voters's intent, arguing statute required voters to spell Murkowski's name correctly. 
 
 A federal judge ruled against Miller saying that voter intent was paramount and that Miller's interpretation "would erode the integrity of the election system." 
 
 While he declined to attempt an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, Miller defended his legal actions Friday saying his challenge will lead to "more transparent, clearer standards" in Alaska. 
 
 "The legal fight has been very involved. It's been a full time job." he said. "This has been good for the state." 
 
 
 
 Despite speculation that he might run for the state's House seat in 2012, Miller said he had not yet contemplated any plans for another campaign. ||||| Posted: 09:30 PM ET 
 
 From CNN’s Abby Livingston and Joe Von Kanel 
 
 Washington (CNN) - Joe Miller is giving up, but he isn’t standing down. 
 
 He also needs Senator Lisa Murkowski’s phone number. Miller won Alaska’s Republican U.S. Senate primary, lost the general election to a write-in campaign waged by incumbent Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, then unsuccessfully challenged the results in court. Today in Anchorage, he told supporters the time has come, " to accept the practical realities of our current legal circumstances. We shall abide by the court's decisions even if we do not agree with them." 
 
 He also sounded a defiant note, adding: “I know for a fact that standing down is not an option, and I will continue to sound the alarm about our state and the nation.” 
 
 Eleven minutes after his news conference, Senator Murkowski’s campaign issued the following statement, “I was glad to learn that Joe Miller has bowed to the rulings of the Alaska courts and decided to abandon his challenges. Although certification was a long time coming, it does not diminish the historic accomplishment of our campaign. All Alaskans, regardless of how they voted, can be assured that I will continue to work in Alaska’s interest for the next six years.” 
 
 In his first interview after his public concession, Miller appeared on “John King, USA,” where CNN’s Ed Henry asked him if he had called Murkowski to personally concede. Miller said, “I have not called her. In fact, I don't have her number.” When asked if he had sought out her phone number through the Alaska GOP, he answered, "Well, I think we already have conceded. We've asked for it before. I don't have it." 
 
 After the brutal campaign, Miller also addressed any unresolved issues with the Murkowski camp, “Well, I'm not going to talk about sour grapes. There are a lot of things during the campaign that obviously I think should have been done differently, but frankly, what this is about is two completely different ideologies.” 
 
 He added, “We have no ill will toward Senator Murkowski. We have absolutely nothing to dispute as far as the finality of this race right now, but we have significant differences of opinion about where this nation needs to head.” 
 
 Miller was also asked if there was anything to be read into his highest profile backer, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, taking a lower profile in the campaign while the courts sorted out a resolution. Miller said, “Not at all. In fact, the argument that was had during the … post-race, is a legal argument. It's not one where campaigning is appropriate. It's not one where somebody gets out and starts making stump speeches for a candidate. Certainly, SARAHPAC donated to our recount fund. We're very gracious to have received that. A number of other groups, a number of other people also donated. Senator Demint was key to assisting in that effort as well, and they certainly continue to stand behind us.” 
 
 Filed under: JKUSA
– Joe Miller's fight to keep Alaska's Senate race alive ended with 2010. After nearly 2 months of working full-time on legal challenges to Lisa Murkowski's write-in victory, the Republican nominee told supporters yesterday that he plans no further action, Politico reports. Murkowski had been officially certified as winner the day before. Miller said he hadn't conceded to her personally. “I have not called her. In fact, I don't have her number," he told CNN. Miller, whose appeals went as far as Alaska's Supreme Court, says he still disagrees with the rulings against him but he won't appeal the case to federal courts. The time has come "to accept the practical realities of our current legal circumstances," he told supporters. Miller says he doesn't believe the drawn-out battle has hurt him politically and he intends to keep fighting for Tea Party issues, although he has no immediate plans for the future apart from a family trip to Disneyland.