Dem Takes Lead In Alaska Senate Race

Recently Convicted GOP Sen. Ted Stevens Falls Behind Democrat Mark Begich By About 800 Votes

(AP)  Just as Sen. Ted Stevens appeared ready to take his criminal record back to Congress - perhaps opening a door for Gov. Sarah Palin to replace him - his re-election bid faltered.

Democrat Mark Begich, who trailed Stevens by more than 3,200 votes to start the day Wednesday, jumped to an 814-vote lead as state officials resumed their count of early and absentee ballots. The tally late Wednesday was 132,196 to 131,382, with an estimated 30,000 ballots remaining to be counted, some on Friday and some next week. (Click here for the latest results)

"After watching the votes today, I remain cautiously optimistic," Begich, a two-term Anchorage mayor, said in a news release. "We ran an aggressive campaign, especially when it came to early voting and absentee."

Stevens' campaign did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Last month, a federal jury in Washington convicted Stevens of lying on Senate disclosure forms to conceal more than $250,000 in gifts and home renovations from an oil field services company.

That might have spelled quick political doom for a lesser figure, but Stevens is revered here for his decades of public service - and especially for scoring the state enormous sums of federal money.

Begich would be the first Democrat to win a Senate race in Alaska since the mid-1970s, and a victory would put his party one step closer to a filibuster-proof 60-vote majority in the Senate. Democrats are also trying to unseat Republicans in unresolved contests in Georgia and Minnesota.

Fellow senators have called on Stevens to resign if he wins, and he could face expulsion if he declines to step down. In either case a special election would be held to determine his replacement. Palin, fresh from her failed run at the vice presidency, said Wednesday she'd be interested in serving in the Senate.

"My life is in God's hands," Palin said. "If he's got doors open for me, that I believe are in our state's best interest, the nation's best interest, I'm going to go through those doors."

Election officials Wednesday counted 57,000 of the estimated 90,000 outstanding ballots, which include absentee, early, questioned and provisional ballots.

Should the result remain close a recount is possible. In Alaska, the losing candidate or a collection of 10 voters has three days to petition for a recount unless the vote was a tie, in which case it would be automatic.

If the difference between the candidates is within 0.5 percent of the total votes cast, the state pays for the recount, to be started within three days of the recount petition. The state Elections Division has 10 days to complete the recount.

If Stevens holds onto his seat, the Senate might be stuck with him for some time. As a practical matter, Stevens can't be expelled by the full Senate until after an Ethics Committee investigation and a majority vote of that panel. That won't happen until next year at the earliest.

Stevens also plans to appeal his conviction after he's sentenced, in February at the earliest. The appeal could take months or years.

President Bush could also pardon him.

[misha128-2009]

Posted by jamshied at 03:03 AM

The 1/2 that were counted put Begich in the lead. The remainder according to Steven;s own pollster and others are expected to favor Begich even more.

[jamshied]

I HAVE A QUESTIO:

1- HOW DOES THE 90,000 VOTES COUNT(SO FAR)IS AFFECTING PRESIDENTIAL RACE NUMBERS?

2- WHY DID THEY WAIT SO LONG TO COUNT THOSE 90,000 VOTES ? IT IS A BIG CHUNK OF ABOUT 40% OF THE VOTES CAST BY ALASKANS.

ANYBODY?

[jamshied]

ITS OVER FOR STEVENS AND SARAH PALIN.

THERE WON''T BE AN SPECIAL ELECTION AFTER ALL, IF THE VOTE COUNT CONTINUES THE WAY IT HAS SHOWN.

TWO MORE VOTES FO FILIBUSTER PROOF SENATE, MINNESOTA AND GEORGIA ON MY MIND.

[babooph]

Looks like God is shutting doors for Palin-it is not likely to cure her delusions though.

[blforo08]

Must be something in the water that makes so many Alaskans vote for Stevens regardless of the evidence against him. Did you hear any of his testimony? It was awful. "Yes, I have that chair in my house, but I told him I didn''t want it and I wasn''t accepting it as a gift. But it''s still here two years later and we have used it." Dirty Dirty. Hope the Dem wins so the wicked witch of the north stays in her current role. That way she can watch to see if any planes are coming over from Russia and if so, she can wink at them!

[mytoosense]

I would love to see Sarah Palin become the new Sen. for Alaska. It would give her more experience and if she decides to run in 2012 I will be voting for her.
-----------
Posted by violets4me

You must be getting very used to bad news lately, Ah?

Looks like Sarah won''t be in charge of anything that is''nt sitting on permafrost for years to come.

[mytoosense]

Ever notice that? How a bathroom smells like a Democrap?

Posted by TheMasses10

That''s suprising considering the amount of time Republiscum like Larry Graig spend toe tapping in them.

[stevex47]

Nutjobs are amazing aren''t they. They STILL vote for their convicts.

[stevex47]

"Anyway, what I am, and you hypocrites should be worried about"

Nooo, we are not afraid like you are. Just stop being afraid. Get help. But, you should be afraid of any republican ever getting elected for anything again.

[used2bfedup1]

It is funny that they are wanting to send a criminal in to Congress than a Democrat.

Kinda says alot about the rest of the Alaskan delegation in Congress.

[centerfall93]

The simple fact that Alaskans would cast so many votes for a convicted felon speaks VOLUMES about their outrageously partisan convictions. The Alaskans should be ashamed of the vote tally so far, regardless of who wins. Despicable.

A Democratic victory would be sweet. Hopefully, we have seen the last of Palin on the national stage.

[norcalruss]

Good! I hope the CONVICTED felon loses. That means the airhead bimbo Palin won''t be able to call a special election and run herself, as she has alluded too, if the Senate give Stevens the boot. I am sick of Palin, the bimbo has been all over the networks and cable lately. She is YESTERDAY''s news and won''t be heard of for awhile if Stevens loses.

[smurfcrusher]

"so sarah ... how do you know the door is being held open by god ... and not by satan?"

Posted by bobnjersey

"The Voices" told her. :o

[violets4me]

I would love to see Sarah Palin become the new Sen. for Alaska. It would give her more experience and if she decides to run in 2012 I will be voting for her.

[bobnjersey]

[You used bigot wrong. Hey, I''''m just telling the truth.. ;)]
[Posted by aceshigh333 at 11:54 AM : Nov 13, 2008]

you used ''wrong'' incorrectly. i''m just trying to help since james12345 isn''t here today.

[inventagod2]

''President Bush could also pardon him.''

yeah.

Anyway, what I am, and you hypocrites should be worried about is if B.O. doesn''''t produce an authentic Birth Cert. to the Supreme Court by Dec. 1. Electoral Collage votes Dec 13. Could be Biden.

Posted by aceshigh333
_________________________________________

Oh my Lord, are ya''ll STILL spouting this ***? Seriously, Obama is more American than Sen McCain in that respect.

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/born_in_the_usa.html

[antizion]

Alaskans are not stupid, the elections in the US are cook way beyond what people might suspect. Palin only got elected because she is a big supporter of the Jews, hence he comment "there is only one flag in my office and that is Israeli." And it is true, she does have a Israeli flag in her window.

The Jews don''t care who you vote for as long as they get to count the votes.

It is not racist or being a bigot to point out racist or bigot behavior whether it is a Jewish organized crime syndicate or the racist policies of Israel.

[aceshigh333-2009]

Praise the Lord. I''''m a real Liberal. Just like Jesus.

Posted by daffy64

Well then, an attempted aborted child is in your hand alive, what will you do...... What would Jesus do...

Gota go.. think about it.