Republicans' Grip on Alaska Is Weakened

[question everything]

Source: WSJ

Disenchantment With Party Haunts 2 Long-Time Stars
By JIM CARLTON
July 24, 2008; Page A5

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Two Republican lawmakers have famously served Alaska's interests in Washington for more than three decades: Sen. Ted Stevens and Rep. Don Young. But there are signs that Alaskan voters this year may be ready to follow political changes taking place in the rest of the country and opt for a clean slate.

Both men face the malaise afflicting many other Republican incumbents: voter disenchantment over the country's stewardship under the party. Republicans lost control of Congress in 2006 and stand to lose more ground this year, with once-safe seats like these in Alaska facing serious competition. In all, Democratic strategists are seriously targeting this year as many as 11 of 23 Senate seats now held by Republicans and up for election. Alaska is also emerging as a presidential battleground state, with polls showing Democratic candidate Barack Obama narrowly trailing Republican John McCain in a state that has leaned Republican in recent years.

Messrs. Stevens and Young have another challenge: Both lawmakers have been investigated in regard to a corruption scandal that has rocked Alaska's statehouse. The U.S. District Court in Anchorage has convicted two state legislators on bribery and corruption charges, and indicted two more on similar charges; others, including Mr. Stevens's son, are under investigation. No one has charged the elder Mr. Stevens or Mr. Young, but the scandal is taking a toll on them. "It's the constant reference to potential legal problems," says Marc Hellenthal, an Anchorage pollster. "None of them are knockout blows, but they are all body punches."

According to a Rasmussen Reports poll released Monday, Mark Begich, the 46-year-old Democratic mayor of Anchorage, leads the 84-year-old Mr. Stevens by nine percentage points, after trailing him narrowly in last month's Rasmussen survey... A June 10 poll by Mr. Hellenthal's firm showed Mr. Young trailing by 20 percentage points to Democratic challenger Ethan Berkowitz, 46, the former state House minority leader.







Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121686107825679439.html (subscription)

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"Bridge to nowhere," anyone?

[Xithras]

1. The bridge was supported by many Alaskans

"Bridge to Nowhere" was a term used by people in the lower 48. It actually would have connected the city of Ketchikan to one of the busiest airports in Alaska...not exactly nowhere.

Of course, they could have relocated the airport for less money than the bridge would have cost. It was really all about opening that island up to vacation homes.

[question everything]

6. $320 million to connect to an island with 50 people?

When all over the country our roads and bridges are crumbling?

Here's an idea: instead of giving each man and woman and child in Alaska some $1,000 a year from the oil revenues, how about pooling all that money and invest in a ferry that goes there?

Or, as you suggest, relocate the airport?

[boomerbust]

2. A message to all Alaskan voters.

Please vote that puke Stevens out of office!

[MrBlueSky]

3. Ramblings from a former Alaskan...

It is with great intensity that I watch what is happening in my former home state. In the 80's, when I was growing up in Anchorage, the Republican stranglehold was everywhere... Anchorage was a Purple city in a Dark Red state. Outside of town, it was rare to find a liberal or Democrat anywhere... let alone representing anywhere besides Anchorage.

I remember writing letters to Stevens, Murkowski (current Senator's dad) and Rep. Young. To see that Stevens and Young's jobs in jeopardy... well... you might have told me that the sky was purple. During the 80's, any Democrat challenging these 3 would not have even come close to 40% of the statewide vote! Truly a new world of changes that Bu$h, Inc. have brought with them.

As remarkable as this is, I find it far more curious that Obama even stands a chance in a state where, the last time they voted Democratic, it was for LBJ! (By the way, that was 6 years before I was even born!)

But this situation (of Alaska turning to a tossup state from the Deep Dark Crimson it's been all my life) reminds me that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely... and for over 30 years, Republicans have held a stranglehold on politics there.

As the stories broke in the Anchorage Daily News (www.adn.com), I kept wondering how long it would be before it bites the Repubs in the tukus. You see, we heard of similar scandals (usually involving VECO) even in the late 80's... and yet, the public still re-elected a solid Republican majority.

For 30 plus years, Alaskan Democratic Party candidates have been viewed as being submissive to "Outside" influences. This usually meant banning drilling in ANWR (which even Mayor Begich approves of) due to Northeastern US members of Congress. Senator Kennedy, Rep. Markey and others were often the focal points of these attacks... and they were very successful in the 80s and 90s.

And now? Anchorage liberal views are spreading across the city and state... turing Purple Anchorage Medium Blue and Dark Red Alaska to Purple?

Whoa... the times... they are FINALLY a-changin!

MrBlueSky
Snohomish, WA
(currently vacationing in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil)

:hippie:

[fascisthunter]

4. MrBlueSky, What was it about the GOP that Attracted Alaskans?

Why did the majority of Alaskans identify with the GOP as much as they did?

[question everything]

8. I will let MrBlueSky answer from his experience and knowledge

but what we saw, in one visit, is a state like Wyoming and Montana and Idaho, where people like to do their own thing and they don't need any government body to tell them what to do. And the GOP, on paper, at least, used to be the party of "small government."

The thing is, Alaska is enormously rich thanks to the oil revenue which of course, was developed and transported with Federal funds.

[question everything]

7. We drove thorugh Anchorage in August 2006

part of a tour. And either Cheney or Rice was visiting. And it was nice to see groups of people in street corners with banners against the war in Iraq.

[Earth_First]

5. "Republicans lost control of Congress in 2006..."

They did?

:shrug:

[Javaman]

9. Pfft! They lost their grip a looooooong time ago!!!

LOL :rofl: