The Hill: Begich to officially enter race vs. Stevens

[Adlai Stevenson]

By Aaron Blake
Posted: 04/20/08 09:28 PM [ET]

In a move that will make Alaska a battleground in the 2008 election, Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich (D) will make his candidacy for Senate official on Monday, his campaign said Sunday.

Begich, who currently has an exploratory committee, was widely expected to enter the race eventually. He will make stops in Anchorage and Fairbanks to launch his candidacy for the seat of Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), who is under federal investigation for his ties to the Veco Corp.

The mayor has led in some early polls, but Stevens, 84, is a revered longtime political figure to many in the state. He is currently the longest serving Republican in the Senate and is nearing four decades in the chamber. However, a federal raid of his home last summer has apparently put him in legal and political jeopardy.

The Anchorage mayor is the son of former Rep. Nick Begich (D-Alaska), who was never found after a 1972 plane crash with former House Majority Leader Hale Boggs (D-La.).

Begich is a second-term mayor who was easily reelected in 2006 with 56 percent of the vote.

http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/begich-to-officially-enter-race-vs.-stevens-2008-04-20.html

[JSojourner]

This is exciting.  I think we have a good chance here, if Stevens in the GOP nominee.  I haven't heard anything about him retiring.   Any of you have info?

[Flying Dog]

The GOP better hope to God that he's primaried.

[minionofmidas]

The GOP better hope to God that he's primaried.

The GOP has no intention of primarying him. It knows that it would lose that primary, and will focus its attentions on primarying Don Young instead. The GOP's best chance to get rid of Stevens is to covertly help Begich, hope Stevens gets indicted along the way (because otherwise, he's still slightly favored in the General in this scenario), and retake the seat in 2014.

[MarkWarner08]

How about them tubes, Grandpa Stevens! If Obama can come within ten points of McCain, Begich will probably win.

[DownWithTheLeft]

Wow, where was Tony Knowles?

[Sensei]

Wow, where was Tony Knowles?

Exactly what I was going to say... I didn't know there were other democrats in Alaska.

[MarkWarner08]

Wow, where was Tony Knowles?

Exactly what I was going to say... I didn't know there were other democrats in Alaska.

Funny thing... both of the leading Democrats in AK not named Tony Knowles are running for Congress this year.

[Aizen]

I feel good about taking this seat.... Stevens is an embarrassment to the state of Alaska... people that out of touch with reality (The Internet is a series of tubes? Come on now) should not be making laws.

[RouterJockey]

Actually, there are quite a few Republicans and Democrats running for this seat.

This from the Alaska Division of Elections http://www.elections.state.ak.us/cand08p.php:
United States Senate
     Mark Begich (Democrat)
     Bob Bird (Alaskan Independence)
     Rocky C. Caldero (Democrat) - WITHDREW
     Gerald L. "Jerry" Heikes (Republican)
     Ray Metcalfe (Democrat)
     Roderic H. "Rick" Sikma (Republican)
     Ted Stevens (Republican) -Incumbent
     Frank J. Vondersaar (Democrat)
     Rich M. Wanda (Republican)

Although I don't see his name on the list, apparently David Cuddy is running for the seat as a Republican as well.  http://www.davecuddy.com/

[Adlai Stevenson]

Actually, there are quite a few Republicans and Democrats running for this seat.

This from the Alaska Division of Elections http://www.elections.state.ak.us/cand08p.php:
United States Senate
     Mark Begich (Democrat)
     Bob Bird (Alaskan Independence)
     Rocky C. Caldero (Democrat) - WITHDREW
     Gerald L. "Jerry" Heikes (Republican)
     Ray Metcalfe (Democrat)
     Roderic H. "Rick" Sikma (Republican)
     Ted Stevens (Republican) -Incumbent
     Frank J. Vondersaar (Democrat)
     Rich M. Wanda (Republican)

Although I don't see his name on the list, apparently David Cuddy is running for the seat as a Republican as well.  http://www.davecuddy.com/

I think Vondersaar faced Stevens in either 1996 or 2002, maybe?  Anyway, he didn't get better than 11% of the vote. 

[Torie]

This is exciting.  I think we have a good chance here, if Stevens in the GOP nominee.  I haven't heard anything about him retiring.   Any of you have info?

Stevens filed for re-election.

[Keystone Phil]

Politics1 has a good amount of potential prominent Republican candidates listed and the filing deadline isn't until August.