Meet The Unknown Alaska Man Who Might Give Dems' A Chance For November

I heard McAdams interviewed last month, and he made exactly that argument, that just a small amount of money will let him buy ads in Alaska's cheap ad market. I Miller is another nutjob, there might actually be a chance. Besides, if someone critical of politicians who do the bidding of oil companies can win in Alaska, that could be a game-changer.

I think that would be the exact wrong thing to do. If McAdams has a chance in this anti-incumbent, anti-establishment election season, it's as a relative outsider who has not been tainted by any connection with the Dems in DC.

I'd imagine so, considering her favorable/unfavorables are net negative in AK these days. In fact, given the partisan split up there it sounds like Democrats, independents and a fair chunk of Republicans must be about fed up with her.

I'm all for conservative Republicans taking over Alaska. They can start by sending back the federal highway money that their taxes don't even begin to cover (about $5 for every $1 they contribute). After all, government subsidies make people lazy, amirite?

Agreed. Are there no editors at TPM awake today?

It should read "...Begich only won, just barely, because his opponent had been found GUILTY on various felony charges a few days before the election." After Stevens was found guilty by his peers, AG Eric Holder requested that all charges be dropped due to prosecutorial misconduct. Per NPR (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102589818) "His decision is said to be based on Stevens' age — he's 85 — and the fact that Stevens is no longer in the Senate. Perhaps most important, Justice Department officials say Holder wants to send a message to prosecutors throughout the department that actions he regards as misconduct will not be tolerated."

Steven's was NOT found innocent of the charges, and I find it hard to fathom how this means he was "wrongfully indicted". Wrongfully prosecuted, fine, but so long as his house still had its second floor, paid for with Allen's money, it's hard to argue his indictment was wrong. If someone who was witnessed by dozens murdering someone gets let off due to prosecutorial misconduct, it doesn't mean they aren't a murderer, just that they won't be doing time for murder.

The problem with this is that Alaskans do not care for the closed ballot that the R Legislature has put in place. If you are anything but an R, you can choose the R or the D (called the Open ballot). Many D's, Undeclared and Non-Partisan voters chose the R ballot. Some to vote for Miller, thinking he was the weaker candidate, and some voted for Lisa thinking they did not want Miller to have a showing, and thus giving the Tea Partiers any credence.

I am a Non-Partisan voter and I, as usual, picked the R ballot. It's the primary, and I use it strategically. I hate the closed ballot, so I use it against the R's.

Many, many people do the same thing.