In two successive election cycles, Alaska voters have shown signs of discontent with statewide politics as usual. In 2004, newly-appointed Sen. Lisa Murkowski narrowly survived a challenge from Democrat Tony Knowles, while Bush crushed Kerry in the state. Less than two years later, Murkowski's father, Frank, was ejected from the Governor's office by collecting a stunning 19% of the Republican primary vote amid charges of arrogance, nepotism, and wasteful spending. At the same time, Alaska's long-serving Representative Don Young won re-election by his smallest margin in years, garnering 57% of the vote against underfunded, unknown Democratic challenger Diane Benson.
On top of it all, once invincible incumbents like Young (FL-AL) and Senator Ted Stevens are appearing much more mortal lately, with FBI investigations swirling around Stevens and his son regarding unethical transactions with the VECO Corporation (including a generous remodeling of the elder Stevens' home), and revelations that Young is not only wasting taxpayers' dollars in Alaska, he's doing it in Florida, too, with pleasant “side-effects” for a major contributor to his campaign (but no apparent benefit for Alaska, of course).
According to Roll Call, the Club For Growth, an organization always eager to intervene in Republican primaries in order to advance its Lochner Era economic agenda, is sniffing blood in the water. In a poll commissioned by the CFG, 66% of likely Republican primary voters disapproved of the $223 million “bridge to nowhere” (a project vigorously defended by Stevens and Young), 71% believe that federal pork to Alaska should be cut, and 47% believe that it is time for a new Senator to replace Stevens.
Roll Call adds that such a salvo is well-timed, as some state Republicans are weighing challenges to Stevens or Young:
At least seven Republicans reportedly are mulling bids. Former Lt. Gov. Loren Leman is on the list, as is former state Senate President Mike Miller, who challenged Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R) for the GOP nod when she sought a full term in 2004
While the Club For Growth has yet to commit to funding a primary challenge to either of these incumbents, I fully welcome their involvement. Given the Club's dubious track record of backing candidates who struggle with mainstream appeal in solidly Republican districts (Bill Sali in ID-01, Doug Lamborn in CO-05, Tim Walberg in MI-07, Adrian Smith in NE-03, etc.), and the assist that they could provide Democrats by raising Stevens and Young's negatives while helping to drain the incumbents' cash reserves before the general election, a pair of primaries could be a very entertaining sideshow on the way to 2008. It would be especially entertaining, of course, if the DSCC and the DCCC get their way and Anchorage mayor Mark Begich and 2006 Lt. Gov. nominee Ethan Berkowitz enter the races under the Democratic banner.
In the meantime, you've gotta love money quotes like this one from CFG wingnut extraordinaire Pat Toomey:
“Like the rest of the country, Alaska taxpayers are fed up with runaway spending, wasteful projects, and the corruption that they can breed,” said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey. “Defending his pork career in 2001, Ted Stevens told National Public Radio, ‘I am guilty of asking the Senate for pork and proud of the Senate for giving it to me.’ Clearly, the sentiment isn’t shared by Republican primary voters back home.”
I think you meant AK-AL.
Tying together a lot of threads. But my fear now is that we might have one if not two Sarah Palin situations – ie, a catastrophic success whereby a less-tainted Republican beats the incumbent, making it much harder for us to win the general. Let’s pray we wind up with some Ernie Fletcher scenarios.
… that after the primary winners in the presidential race have been picked, that Mike Gravel runs for one of the US Senate seats in Alaska. What better candidate can we have than someone who's had the seats in the past? Gravel could have a lot of crossover appeal to people who would normally be reluctant to vote Dem, but approve of Gravel's willingness to criticize the influence of special interests that are affecting his own party (and let's be honest, that's a problem as well). If not running against Stevens next year, he should try running against Lisa Murkowski when she's up for reelection in 2010.