Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) on Monday penned an e-mail fundraising appeal for Republican Joe Miller’s Senate campaign that urges votes to help the Fairbanks attorney hold off a surge from GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who is running as a write-in candidate.

Palin, who in 2006 defeated Murkowski’s father, Frank Murkowski, in the Republican gubernatorial primary, endorsed Miller over the incumbent in this year’s Senate primary, which helped rocket him to prominence and an eventual narrow victory. However, Murkowski has surged in the polls and the race appears to be a dead heat.

Miller has scrambled to regroup and keep pace with the $1 million that Murkowski had in the bank upon announcing her write-in candidacy. Republican sources said Miller’s campaign surpassed $1 million raised online just last week.

“Conservatives need to rally around Joe Miller. He is the only true conservative in this race. While Lisa Murkowski and her special interests have nothing to lose in this race, Alaskans and conservatives across the country have everything to lose,” Palin wrote in the e-mail appeal. “Joe Miller will fight for the people of Alaska, and this great country. Public service should be an honor not a family dynasty. Show your support for him today.”

Recent polls showed a close race between Miller and Murkowski, with Sitka Mayor Scott McAdams (D) running in third place, though not out of contention.