Really excellent news.
Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich (D) defeated Sen. Ted Stevens, ending the tenure of the longest-serving Republican in Senate history, after the counting of more ballots yesterday gave him a larger lead than the number of votes still untallied, Alaska elections officials said.
Begich leads Stevens by more than 3,700 votes, according to the Alaska secretary of state. Gail Fenumiai, the head of the state’s election division, said about 2,500 absentee votes from overseas and Alaska’s most remote regions remain to be counted.
AP also has the call. And so far, it looks like no automatic recount is coming (though that could change).
The Democrat’s lead thus far — 47.8 percent to 46.6 percent — puts him beyond the margin of victory that would allow Stevens to call for a state-funded recount of the ballots.
Of the three Alaskans running for Senate this year (recall that, according to Sarah Palin, the Vice President is also part of the Senate), I’m delighted that only Mark Begich made it.
Now many commentators will say that but Stevens could have survived an indictment and been vindicated. If Ted Kennedy could survive Chapaquidick than Stevens could have survived this. What did him in was a truly revived and revamped Alaskan State Party that actually had money and field resources thanks to Dean and volunteers (at least pre-Palin when Alaska was a swing state) thanks to Obama. This is the true way the central party can help the grassroots and vice a versa creating a truly impressive campaign. Also recruitment was good hear since this is a race Begich or another strong challenger might have passed up any other year.
No Senator Palin unless she primaries Lisa Murkowski in 2010–unlikely.
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p>Two names I’d be happy never to hear again in serious context are Sarah Palin and Joe the Plumber.
Begich is a supporter of drilling in ANWAR. Anyone know where he stands on other issues?
because the people of Alaska support drilling in ANWAR. Pretty much every politician left or right has that position there. Otherwise, I expect him to be a moderate to liberal Democrat, depending on the issue. He’ll play the pork barrel game, he is from Alaska after all, though perhaps with a little bit less egregious waste than Uncle Ted.
Begich favors abortion rights and access.
Increase the “cooling-off” period for retired lawmakers
Full disclosure on who Senators are meeting.
Use MediCare as a model for expanded health care access
Repeal No Child Left Behind
Allow undocumented immigrants to have access to the benefits they’ve earned
End warrantless wiretapping
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p>On other issues, such as Iraq and middle-class tax cuts, his positions mirror Obama’s.