Sen. Stevens Falls Further Behind In Count

As Alaska Continues To Tally Ballots In Tight Race, Dem. Challenger Pads Lead

(AP)  Republican Sen. Ted Stevens, a stalwart of Alaska politics who was convicted of felony charges last month, fell further behind his Democratic rival Friday, and most remaining ballots come from parts of the state that have favored the challenger.

Mark Begich, the two-term mayor of Anchorage, increased his lead from 814 votes to 1,022 as state election workers counted 17,100 ballots. Begich had 47.4 percent of the vote to Stevens' 47.0 percent.

"With the gap widening slightly in our favor today, I feel even more optimistic that when all the ballots are counted next week, we'll see Alaskans came out to vote for new leadership in Washington, D.C.," Begich said in a news release.

The 25,000 remaining votes will be counted Tuesday. They come mostly from Anchorage and the surrounding area, where Begich is leading, and from the state's southeastern panhandle, where he was doing even better.

Stevens, 84, is seeking his seventh term in the Senate, where he has served since 1968. He's renowned for bringing federal funding home to Alaska - as well as for wearing his Incredible Hulk tie when the going gets rough in Congress.

But last month he was convicted by a federal jury in Washington, D.C., of lying on Senate disclosure forms to conceal more than $250,000 in gifts and home renovations from an oil field services company.

About 5,000 of the votes tallied Friday came from the Matanuska-Susitna Borough north of Anchorage, a conservative area home to Gov. Sarah Palin. Stevens has been leading in that area by a margin of 2-to-1. Also counted were votes from the interior city of Fairbanks and surrounding areas, where Stevens has a slight lead, and the vast Alaska Bush, where Begich is winning easily.

Even David Dittman, a pollster who has worked for Stevens, said his friend's chances were extremely slim. He said many of the votes now being counted were cast before Stevens returned from his trial and began to campaign personally, which helped him in the polls.

"That doesn't change anything for all those votes that were cast earlier," he said.

Absentee ballots went out Oct. 14; Stevens was convicted Oct. 27.

Statewide, about 8,500 of the remaining votes are questioned ballots (known elsewhere as provisional ballots). They are most commonly cast by people who are voting away from their home polling places.

Ivan Moore, an Anchorage pollster who has worked for Democrats, said those voters tend to be younger, single and more likely to vote Democratic.

"I just don't see a significant bloc of votes that's remaining for Ted to get him back into this," Moore said.

Stevens' campaign didn't return calls seeking comment.


For results visit the Alaska Division of Elections Web site.

[earache4]

Good to see his incaceration won''t be postponed due to his legislative session.....

[hairyonetooo]

Palin must not swing too much weight with the election officials or she would be able to fix the vote for Stevens.

[earache4]

Palin must not swing too much weight with the election officials or she would be able to fix the vote for Stevens.
Posted by hairyonetooo at 01:36 PM

I guess God didn''t open that door....

[pvperson]

"conservative area home to Gov. Sarah Palin. Stevens has been leading in that area by a margin of 2-to-1."

so much for the ethics and morals of Palin supporters.

[sandy19731]

YO ALASKA - HEAR YE HEAR YE ! ! !

PUKE PALIN WAS WRONG FOR UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

PUKE PALIN WAS WRONG FOR MCCAIN

PUKE PALIN WAS WRONG VP CHOICE

PUKE Republican Sen. Ted Stevens, a stalwart of Alaska politics who was convicted of felony charges
IS WRONG FOR ALASKA

GO DEMOCRATS GO ! ! !

Posted by ms1-1-1 at 01:30 PM : Nov 15, 2008

Please, Please don''t call yourself a democrat. I like to think we have a big tent, but frankly we would turn you away at the door. Get some manners!

[ybotheratall]

Posted by ms1-1-1 at 01:30 PM
-----------------
What are you, 12?

[centerfall93]

Posted by ms1-1-1 at 01:30 PM
-----------------
What are you, 12?

Posted by YBotherAtAll at 02:17 PM

What are you, bitter?

LOL!

[tallyman2008]

Interesting demographics in Alaska

According to this article


Republicans have advantage in the Cities

Democrats in the Country-side they call the ''bush''


That is bass-ackwards from rest of USA


Very interesting

[hissteps4u]

Stevens needs to go. Unfortunately Pride will stop him from doing what is right and resign. What does he think his legacy will be? If he won congress would boot him, if he leave gracefully then he might have a chance at a couple of years to reflect before he passes on. next to Robert Bird He is the Oldest Living member of congress and a dinasour

Good By stevens may you rest in peace knowing that you Bilked several hundred thousand from the Alaskan Public Hope you Like your Ndew Jail cell Lots of running water a great view of the Bay behind your Barbed wire fence and a nice play ground for you to play at.. Watch out inmates he may ask you to do some work off the books...

[frankie2fing]

****** Hannity says the Democrats are trying to steal the election in Alaska. First of all, Hannity, your an idiot and how anybody listens to you is a great wonder to me. Makes me wonder if people are that stupid to believe anything that comes out of your mouth how are we as a species going to survive. But that notwithstanding: If the all the votes are counted, it is Democrats stealing the election, if they are not all counted then it is democracy. Go figure.

[inventagod2]

there goes Palin''s senate seat...

awwwwww

[skiluuver]

OOOPPPSSS!!! Looks like Missy Palin''s chance for the Senate has slipped right between her manicured fingertips, just like her chance to be VP........oh well, things are looking better and better for us...

[treknutz]

It is so appropriate to quote Frank Langella from the movie "DAVE" right about here in context to Ted the thief Stevens......"Die, you PUTZ!" And take Sarah with you might I add!

[treknutz]

****** Hannity says the Democrats are trying to steal the election in Alaska. First of all, Hannity, your an idiot and how anybody listens to you is a great wonder to me.
Posted by frankie2fing

Hey Frankie, most people listen to Hannity for comic relief. Between him and Bill O''Really? I don''t know who is the bigger dumb *****! Oh yea, let us not forget his transexual brother, Ann Coulter!

[andor3]

so Stevens goes to prison, Palin goes nowhere, and the Senate Democrats gain a seat. Good things do come in threes.

[cdfoxtrot5]

How is this even possible? Stevens is a convicted felon. I thought convicted felons can''t even vote, let alone be a Senator in the US Congress. And what kind of people vote for someone like that? The polls had the felon losing by 22 points in the days before the election. How could they be "even-stevens" now? Did the felon rig the vote counting process?

[treknutz]

He didn''t rig it personally, he had his good buddies do it for him...with promises of new homes and cheap gas once it''s rigged.

[cdfoxtrot5]

Interesting that the Faux News people would rather side with a convicted felon than with democracy.

[antizion]

He is the most vial person on Earth. They got caught hacking an election. We will add these losers to the list with Florida and Ohio.

[shedhouserob]

Stevens,cheney, Gramm, delay, Foley Gingrich, no wonder the republican party is hurting.

[shedhouserob]

Stevens should take his case to Texas, If that worm Tom Delay can get off scott free, Steven''s ought to be a shoo in!

[mbs06854]

Only in America can the right to vote be removed from a convicted felon, BY a convicted felon.

Felons cannot vote, but felons can be Senators...what a joke.

[downtowner97]

Stevens, Foley, wildfires, the bailout, blah blah blah. When do we impeach Bush and Cheney?

[deadmaverick]

Palin should ask Lindsay Lohan to be her running mate- add their IQ''s together and you''d be lucky to break 100.....

[thedarkgod1]

THROW THE "BUM" THE H..LL OUT!!!!

[treknutz]

Interesting that the Faux News people would rather side with a convicted felon than with democracy.



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Posted by cdfoxtrot5

This suprises you???? Faux news has one adjenda - Lie, Cheat, Steal, misrepresent the real facts, and whine like babies when their widdle feewings get hurt!

[sickofpalin]

if palin choked on a prezel, who at the RGA would save her???

[sickofpalin]

FOX is a channel that believe''s a man labor is worth how little you can pay him

the same with the news; the less true reporting, the better poor people, some who are like palin anti-intellectual, love to f-u-c-k themselves, so they feel good about how stupid they really are

[sickofpalin]

cbs will likely throw me off the site

no matter, i can''t understand why poor people vote republican

[sickofpalin]

is anyone still in this universe???

[airboatboy1]

I can''t believe it''s that close. I guess they''ll vote for anyone in Alaska.

[downsteamjim]

Liberals claim to love free speech, but we will soon see attempts to halt talk radio. In addition,I would not be surprised if they try to silence Fox.

[kmaxrno]

Hey downstream why would we want to silence our comedy hour? OReilly and Hannity provide more laughs than comedy central on a daily basis.

[downsteamjim]

k marx: If that were only true.

[frankie2fing]

Liberals claim to love free speech, but we will soon see attempts to halt talk radio. In addition,I would not be surprised if they try to silence Fox.
Posted by downsteamjim

Your an idiot. It is obvious you listen to conservative talk radio, because that is all that piece of ch!t Hannity whines about. "Oh, they are going to silence me!!! Boo hoo!!!" If only it was true. The airwaves are owned not by the radio station but by the people. Which means, fool, that they must be balanced, not dominated by one idealogy or another. This means that the conservatives who own the radio stations, by hosting only one point of view, are violating their lease. Fairness doctrine just means balancing the point of views.
Now d!chhead Hannity wants you to think that doing this will shut him up (please God, let it be so) because the progressive times will not sell commercials. But what he does not say (he always leaves out alot, because he cannot let facts get into the way of his rhetoric) most progressive talk shows are making good money selling ads. People are listening because they talk truth. Try getting THAT from any conservative.

[tawpdawg111]

Liberals claim to love free speech, but we will soon see attempts to halt talk radio. In addition,I would not be surprised if they try to silence Fox.

Posted by downsteamjim at 05:09 PM : Nov 15, 2008
...........

Why in the world would they do that?

[bjcone8559]

Looks like Sarah''s dreams of Washington are slipping away. LOL

[cariboubarbi]

Stevens is going to prison anyway.

[lbh12]

Too bad for Palin. Thwarted again!

[terrorislame]

Fox News Fans,..
It Will Become '' Paid Advertising ''like CVN,TJC, HSN & the other Infomo channels,..You`ll be able to buy ''Barbie McHunt'' dolls,''Rush First-aid kits''(complete with illegal pain pills )and special appearances by people like Cyndy McCain,talking about her experiences in the drug world,..More to Come !

[terrorislame]

The " W " Years
Will be looked back on with " Terrible Shame "
The Saddest Chapter of USA History will be it`s Name
Thank God ! The Democrats Will Restore Our Once Proud Nation to her Former Glory in The World Network !
Other countries are already taking notice of our Historic Election. They see the US making major strides to clean up Washington and the RepubliCon cesspool. King George`s ''Culture of Corruption'' is meeting it`s Demise !
Watch to see who in this Circle gets a ''W Pardon '',..But,Who Will Pardon King W & Deadeye Dicck ?

[gce65]

Do everyone a favor, Ted. Roll over and die already.

[downsteamjim]

If the ''fairness doctrine'' is such a good thing, why doesn''t ABC, CBS, NYT, LaTimes, PBS, etc. practice it?

[bragova]

"no matter, i can''''t understand why poor people vote republican"

Probably because poverty and ignorance go together.

[troutfisher4]

bye bye, uncle ted :)

[itgranny]

"Liberals claim to love free speech, but we will soon see attempts to halt talk radio. In addition,I would not be surprised if they try to silence Fox."
Posted by downsteamjim

NO!!!! Don''t take FOX away, what would we have to point and laugh at then?

[formrusmcsgt]

I still find it incredible that half the state of Alaska would vote for a convicted felon.

[downsteamjim]

itgrammy: I could be sarcastic and say ''get a mirror.'' Instead, here is some advice, ''Watch your step''. If liberals hear you saying you would allowing non PC speech, you could be in trouble.

[bjcone8559]

itgrammy: I could be sarcastic and say ''''get a mirror.'''' Instead, here is some advice, ''''Watch your step''''. If liberals hear you saying you would allowing non PC speech, you could be in trouble.


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Posted by downsteamjim

You should probably stop by Tires-R-Us, Jimmy-boy, sounds like you''ve got a slow leak.

[downsteamjim]

noway: Your post was ''tired''.