Aug 27, 2008
Alaska's Odd Primary
Quite apart from the fireworks in Hillary Clinton's speech, last night featured the year's last significant congressional primaries--in Alaska.
You'd think being indicted for bribery and influence-peddling (Senator Ted Stevens) and coming under investigation for the same case (Congressman Don Young) would be politically fatal. It appears not.
Stevens coasted to renomination, defeating two well-funded opponents with 63% of the vote. And Young, after trailing for most of the night, has now inched ahead in his primary contest by around 150 votes.
This outcome, of course, is great news for the Dems--making it likely that the state will send its first Democrat to Congress since 1980.
You'd think being indicted for bribery and influence-peddling (Senator Ted Stevens) and coming under investigation for the same case (Congressman Don Young) would be politically fatal. It appears not.
Stevens coasted to renomination, defeating two well-funded opponents with 63% of the vote. And Young, after trailing for most of the night, has now inched ahead in his primary contest by around 150 votes.
This outcome, of course, is great news for the Dems--making it likely that the state will send its first Democrat to Congress since 1980.