Dem Chances Of Taking Alaska House Seat Skyrocket As Young Appears To Win GOP Primary
It's looking like scandal-plagued Rep. Don Young won his very close primary in Alaska, though a recount is still likely -- and if his lead does hold up, then the Dems' chances of winning the House seat in this deep-red state just skyrocketed.
Young faced a strong primary challenge from Lt. Governor Sean Parnell, who had the support of Sarah Palin. The primary was two weeks ago, but a winner still hasn't been declared as Young took a lead of less then 250 votes with absentee ballots still left to be counted. But now, the Anchorage Daily News reports that there are less outstanding ballots than Young's current lead of 239 votes -- meaning that even if all of them went to Parnell, Young would still survive.
The polls consistently showed that Parnell would have been a much stronger candidate than Young against Democratic nominee Ethan Berkowitz. And with Young losing to Berkowitz by double-digit margins in most surveys, his apparent primary win is very good news for the Dems.
Here's what a Republican source told us the morning after the primary: "Don Young is going to lose some time in 2008. The question is whether it's now or November."
IF things keep going the way they are going now, and there's no reason to think they won't, I'll go out on a limb and predict that the GOP loses Alaska.
I don't think Ms ShootingStar Sarah can bring it in. Her approvals were up in the 80s when she was elected, but I doubt she can survive this if the media stays honest about her.
September 9, 2008 9:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sarah will keep her local popularity in Alaska through the election...there is too much local pride right now in her being on the ticket.
I initially thought she would be a boon for the GOP candidates for US Senate and House but those two candidates are indicted Senator Ted Stevens and scandal plagued Rep. Don Young. She will definitely not endorse either because she risks her image as a "reformer".
The DEMS have two young dynamic candidates in Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich and former House Minority Leader Ethan Berkowitz so the DEMS prospects in both races are excellent.
September 9, 2008 10:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
An interesting bit would be if she endorsed the clean Democratic candidates--then she'd really seem the reformer maverick.
Of course there's a better chance for a palm tree in Alaska than that happening (global warming aside).
September 9, 2008 10:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
Palin supported Stevens before she was against him . . . As a board member of his 527.
This year may result in Alaska being Represented by a DEM Congress-person, a DEM Senator and, if impeachment occurs in the Alaskian legistlature, a DEM Governor . . .
September 9, 2008 11:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
Alaska's voting process is probably corrupt also, who knows who will win. It might depend on who gets the benefit of the stolen votes. There might be reason why some of the poorest states are the redest states. How did Palin win? Split votes between the Independant and the Democrat both appeared to believe in the same policies, making them both attractive to Democrats thus the split vote. Palin was the outside card and she won.
September 9, 2008 1:20 PM | Reply | Permalink