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For years, theres been conflict between the Alaska Republican Partys establishment wing and its more hard-line faction of Ron Paul supporters. Those tensions bubbled to the surface on Friday when the partys U.S. Senate candidates took the stage at the state convention. APRNs Alexandra Gutierrez reports from Juneau.

Up until the very end, the Republican Senate candidate forum was a mostly a kumbaya-type affair. The candidates avoided personal attacks, and they stuck to their message of beating Democratic incumbent Mark Begich.

Dan Sullivan, a former attorney general and natural resources commissioner, sprinkled the word unite throughout his speech. He hammered that point when the moderator asked if he would support the partys nominee even if he lost the primary.

We need to unite, Sullivan told the audience. What Ive been trying to do for the last six months is unite all Republicans.

Mead Treadwell, the sitting lieutenant governor, also promised to support the nominee, if Republican voters dont choose him.

We as a party need to stick together, said Treadwell.

But then the moderator got to Joe Miller.

I think that when we make such a commitment, it takes a baseline of trust. Both of my opponents who are sitting here today supported Lisa Murkowski in her war on the Republican nominee in 2010, said Miller. Without that baseline of trust, I cannot make such a commitment.

Miller won the partys Senate primary back in 2010, defeating Murkowski in an upset.

While Murkowski had initially said she was going to support the partys choice, she ended up launching a write-in campaign and beating Miller in the general.

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Miller Rejects Unity Pledge At Republican Convention