It looks like Alaska Dems have got their crumb-bum:
In a close race only decided Wednesday with the final counting of about 350 outstanding absentee and questioned ballots, Young beat Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell by 304 votes.
State election officials will certify the election on Thursday.
Parnell has said he may ask for a recount. Election officials have said a recount of the Aug. 26 vote could take up to 10 days to complete.
The most recent poll of this race, by Ivan Moore Research, shows Democrat Ethan Berkowitz with a big 54-37 lead over Young. A great margin to start out with, but I don’t think we can afford to take this race for granted, given both Young’s tenacity and Palin at the top of the ticket.
Still, this is exactly the match-up we need. It wouldn’t hurt for Parnell to stretch out the uncertainty by forcing a recount, though.
UPDATE: Time to revisit The Donald’s own words:
“If I win this primary, when I win this primary and [Ethan Berkowitz] is my opponent, which is not a given, he’ll be a very good challenge,” Young said. “He’s very qualified for the job. … I just think he’s got more on the ball. Not as much as I, but more than anybody else running.”
UPDATE II: Like a laser, Berkowitz is honing in on those Parnell-LeDoux voters:
“I would like to congratulate Don Young on his victory, but also give particular thanks to Sean Parnell and Gabrielle LeDoux,” Berkowitz said in a statement reaching out to their supporters.
He said both fought to “bring positive change to Alaska’s seat in Congress. I want their supporters to know that they still have that chance. Together, we will finish what your campaigns started,” he said.
A lot of people covering races haved seemed to indicate that a Dem win here is a foregone conclusion. While things look good, we shouldn’t underestimate Young in the same way that we shouldn’t underestimate Stevens. Alaskans love the crazy old coot. He wouldn’t have been elected every other year since 1973 if this wasn’t so.
I love our chances here, but I temper it with caution that Berkowitz will have to earn it. In terms of Palin, we can only hope that her coattails don’t extend to The Donald.
In other news, Stevens’ trial jury selection begins Monday. We all need to keep our fingers crossed that there is no full acquittal or hung jury in the end.
Calls for the re-count. If McCain/Palin win he becomes Governor, worst case scenario they lose and he can run against Berkowitz in 2010.
Hello Rep. Berkowitz.
Let’s turn Alaska BLUE!
Don Young’s biggest margin two years ago against Diane Benson came in election district 14 which includes (drum roll , please) Wasilla. (Sarah Palin’s home town). Berkowitz needs to ride Begich’s coat tails in Anchorage, win the panhandle (south Alaska) big, and cut Young’s margin in the Bush. That’s doable.
We’ve been waiting forever for this race to move into its final form. I just can’t believe how long it has taken.
And we still might be looking at a recount? God help us.