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.
This will be a monster of a race. Begich, as well as the Democratic nominee against Rep. Don Young, will provide an enormous opportunity for Alaska voters to turn the page on the crumb-bum politics and legal woes of the state’s congressional delegation.
UPDATE: Congratulations to Matt Browner-Hamlin, friend of SSP and former Dodd Internet guru, who will be serving as the Begich campaign’s Online Communications Director.
Begich, Burkowski (I cant remember if that is actually his name) and Obama, three excellent Democrats to top the ticket for Alaska. If Obama goes there to campaign and spend money there to try to win, could transform Alaska politics to a little more friendly to Dems.
Eeeexcellent!
Yes, I do rank this one higher than Minnesota, based on the corruption, scandel, and investigation of Senator Stevens. I know Minnesota leans blue against a solid red state like Alaska, but the scandel can have quite an impact. Also Begich has the name recognition (family given his father represented the state in the US House and his own name as Mayor of the largest city).
Alaska and Minnesota are the Democrats #5 and #6 race in terms of flipping those seats to the Democrats. If all works out well and we get both, that’ll make it a 57-43 US Senate and DEM+6. That’s the bar I’ve set for myself in terms of what I want out of this election – any gains above that is icing on the proverbial cake (OR, ME, MS-B, NC, NE, or ID).