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Stevens’ Collateral Damage

Did Don Young's Re-election Chances Just Take a Fatal Hit?

By: Brian Faughnan (Diary)  |  July 30th, 2008 at 06:08 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

If there’s one person who’s likely to lose his job as a result of the indictment of Ted Stevens, it’s Congressman Don Young (R-AK). Young is under investigation by the FBI over his ties to Veco, as Stevens is. It would be no surprise at all if Young is indicted, too. And while Stevens is blessed to face a slew of challengers in the primary — who are likely to divide the vote against him — Young faces just one primary challenger: Sarah Palin’s Lieutenant Governor, Sean Parnell.

If Parnell and Palin represent the young reformers of the Alaska GOP, then Stevens, Young, and former Governor Frank Murkowski represent the old guard. In the wake of the Stevens indictment, will Alaska Republicans be eager to back Young, knowing that they could be nominating two scandal-tainted Republicans? Since both Stevens and Young are facing credible Democratic challengers for the first time in decades, Democrats could capture both seats this year. That’s likely to be a powerful argument for Parnell.

Parnell is already ahead of Young in the latest poll:

The Hays Research poll questioned 175 likely voters who identified themselves as Republicans about Parnell and Young.

Parnell led Young, 46 percent to 42 percent. The poll, taken July 24-25, had a margin of error of 7.4 points.

In a broader poll of 404 adults who were queried about the general election, the likely Democratic nominee, former state House Majority Leader Ethan Berkowitz, led Parnell 33 percent to 30 percent. But 37 percent of those surveyed in the poll, which had a 4.9-point error margin, were undecided.

The poll also showed Young with a favorable rating of 41 percent and unfavorable rating of 55 percent.

His candidacy just got a big boost.

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  • Achance

    to Young is; he’s done plenty on his own w/o Stevens’ help. The gathering noose might just be the fatal straw even if Young has not been indicted before the primary however. My guess is that even though Parnell is not particularly well known and not even a live boy or a dead girl would hurt Young in Rural Alaska, Parnell has a pretty good chance of knocking Young off in the Primary.

    Then we’ll see what’s left of the Republican brand in Alaska. In a Statewide race, ANY Republican should beat ANY Democrat, and Ethan Berkowitz hardly even does the standard “walk like a Republican” that most Statewide Democrats try to do. When he was in the House, he was not so affectionately known as Jerkowitz and is very much one of the 99% of lawyers that give the other 1% a bad name. There are very few Legislators that I genuinely disliked, and he was several of them!

  • kyle8

    I don’t know enough about Alaska, But he might have to run from prison.

  • dbecraft

    providing funds to the constituents is a reason to re-elect him… Mercy, can’t people get a grip! I would guess that money buys their locality – unfortunate, but true…

  • dbecraft

    providing funds to the constituents is a reason to re-elect him… Mercy, can’t people get a grip! I would guess that money buys their locality – unfortunate, but true…

  • Achance

    Now, I still think he wins the Primary. Whether he stays in at all or could win the General against Mayor Begich, good question. I don’t believe he’ll resign his seat and it is hard to believe he’ll withdraw his candidacy, so we’ll see.

  • dld1717

    Its sad but all news outlets lead with this story and many Republicans nationwide had to deal with headache over Stevens and his money to their campaigns. I think this does so much damage and puts out culture of corruption theme from 06 campaign

    People don’t expect much from Dems when it comes to stuff on this nature. Heck, the Dems have a guy who drove drunk off bridge and waited 24 hrs to call police as their poster child.

    Back to issue though: If Young loses primary it takes Seat off the table for Dems which is good for us

    As for Steven if he runs for re-election still i think he loses but if he were to be replaced who would alaska gop turn too?

  • Achance

    Dave Cuddy, scion of an old banking family, and for whom money is no object. He has little organization and almost no name recognition however.

  • dld1717

    I still hope Stevens wins the primary and if things look terribly bad the GOP can name replacement. Hopefully, a top US military guy in Alaska military bases could be named.

    Is Dem nominee that strong? Is he tougher candidate then Knowles?

  • dbecraft

    Not that it will help the Republican Party, but he is a crook (yes, I will not wait for further information – he has shown that he is corrupt long before now) and needs to get out of office quick. If not, I say he should be prosecuted within the law (but held to a higher standard since he was a representative of the people)…

    May Alaska survive this ignorant and greedy politician.

  • Achance

    take much part in Alaska civic and political life beyond the obligatory appearances at Chamber luncheons and big events and few reside off-base. Alaska is still treated like a foreign assignment for both military and civilian federal employees and, frankly, many of them act as if it is a temporary and often unpleasant duty that they have to notch off on their way up the career ladder. Alaska does have a lot of retired military officers and higher level federal civilian employees who take some part in Alaska politics, but while still actively employed, most feds seem to see themselves more as citizens of the “United States” than as a citizen of whatever province they’re currently assigned to.

    All that aside, there is both a credible primary opponent and some people on the bench. The interesting part will be the fact that the Party gets to submit, I believe, three names to Gov. Palin and she gets to pick the appointee. It’s no secret that Gov. Palin really doesn’t like Party Chair Randy Ruedrich, and the feeling is mutual. The person(s) the Party sees as the best nominee may very well not be who Gov. Palin would want. She can’t go outside the Party’s submission and make her own pick, at least I don’t think so – Murkowski tried some of that and the Courts shot him down, but there may be some discretion with a Senate appointment. Anyway, a fight between Party leadership and Gov. Palin will just be another tacky chapter in the cheap, sordid novel that Republican politics here has become.

    And, yes, Begich is that strong; stronger than Knowles was when he ran against Lisa Murkowski. Knowles was a two term governor who had had to take positions and actions on Statewide issues for which he could be held accountable. Begich is a city mayor who hasn’t had to deal with Statewide issues beyond mouthing platitudes carefully crafted for his political benefit.