@Snoopy Yes, he’s really that popular with many. He’s all most Alaskans have ever known. He’s been the Senator for Alaska since there was an Alaska, probably even before, if that makes sense, and despite his latest troubles, he has done lots of good for the state, including being in on statehood and the pipeline. And then there’s that Bridge to Nowhere….Ha
I’ve only lived here five years so I don’t have that sort of loyalty to him, but some of my friends do and see it as just that, “loyalty” to the man who did so much good for this state. As a result, they’ll continue to give him their vote. I’m cautiously hopeful that Begich can win, it seems just so obvious that he should win in a landslide, but given the surreal political atmosphere of Alaska of late, I’m not betting on this one being a gimme, nor is Begich, I’m sure. I mean, the sheer fact that Sarah Palin didn’t call on the man to resign should give you a hint of the power that this man holds, even now. I pasted the comment from the Alaskan Republican Party spokesman in on the yard sign thread, I think. I’ll see if I can find it and repost it here. It amounted to vote for Stevens even now cos he’s Republican. Yep, found it….
“We need to continue to support Sen. Stevens. We need to vote for him because a vote for him is a vote for a conservative candidate, a Republican who best represents the interests and beliefs of Alaskans. … We don’t know what happens in the future. But if you don’t want Mark Begich, you vote for Ted Stevens.” – McHugh Pierre, spokesman for the Alaska Republican Party.