The GOP's Alaska Meltdown
August 28, 2008; Page A14
The scandals that led to the demise of Republican Representatives Tom DeLay, Bob Ney and Duke Cunningham -- and to the party's loss of Congress two years ago -- should have been a teaching moment. Alaska's GOP voters haven't taken the hint, and that may cost their party again in November.Alaska Senator Ted Stevens easily won a six-way GOP primary on Tuesday with 63% of the vote, even though he was recently indicted for failing to disclose $250,000 in gifts from Veco Corp., an oil company. Mr. Stevens deserves the presumption of innocence, and after his primary victory he told supporters his re-election will be a "piece of cake." Democrats are happy to hear that because the political reality is that the 84-year-old Senator's case goes to trial before a Washington, D.C. jury less than six weeks before Election Day, and he already trails Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich by double digits.
GOP voters were somewhat tougher on Don Young, Alaska's lone House Member, whose own primary race was too close to call as of our deadline Wednesday. Mr. Young led Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell by just 145 votes -- 42,461 to 42,316 -- with some 2,000 rural votes and 4,000 absentee ballots to be counted. Mr. Young is also under federal investigation for his ties to Veco. His legal defense fund has spent more than $1 million, though he hasn't been indicted. If he does eke out a victory, he's a likely loser in November against Democrat Ethan Berkowitz, a former Alaska House Minority Leader who plans to make ethics an issue.
Messrs. Stevens and Young -- who've spent a combined 75 years in Congress -- have built their careers funneling tax dollars back to their home state and punishing any Member who stands in the way. Their primary election strength, even amid scandal, shows that such pork-barreling still carries political weight. But this same earmarking habit is what has put them under an ethical cloud, and voters in November aren't likely to be so forgiving.
With Republicans in danger of falling below 41 Senate seats (from the current 49) and thus being unable to sustain a filibuster, Mr. Stevens's insistence on running again is especially damaging. There's still time for him to drop out of the race and let the party pick a new nominee, but his career has not been noted for such grace notes.
Here's some bonus material on these fools.
