the Senate (4.00 / 1)

VA, NM, NH, CO, and now AK - the Democrats now have a floor of +5 Senate seats.

If Obama wins, so much of his success as President will depend on the exact size of the Senate majority. If I were him, I'd invest more resources in places like Minnesota and Oregon - states that look quite safe for him, but where his popularity might help sweep the Dem candidates into the Senate. Maybe even Maine, as well.

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by: Chachy @ Tue Jul 29, 2008 at 18:20:02 PM UTC

7 counts--uncertain future (4.00 / 1)

The counts relate to failing to disclose financial favors relating to his home remodeling that he received from  Alaska businessman Bill Allen of VECO.  Once indicted he must resign his ranking member committee position, but does not have to resign his Senate seat.  Stevens faces opposition from lesser known figures in the August 26 GOP Primary.  It is too late for anyone else to file for the primary.  Governor Sarah Palin is enmeshed in a scandal of her own over efforts to intimidate her sister's ex-husband and get him fired.  The issue is whether Stevens would resign before the primary, and IF Stevens wins the primary, whether he would resign afterwards to allow another more prominent GOPer to be named as candidate.  If someone else wins the primary, they are the opposition to popular Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, the Dem candidate.  

John McCain--He's not who you think he is.

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by: Mimikatz @ Tue Jul 29, 2008 at 18:23:09 PM UTC

More info (0.00 / 0)

The remodeling was pretty extensive--at least $250,000 worth and there were other favpors for VECO as well.  A couple of involved folks have pleaded guilty and are cooperating, so Stevens is probably going to have some serious problems beating this.  Interesting that one primary opponent, Vic Vickers, a self-funding millionaire, just took out a large ad buy to run starting tomorrow.  Could the RNC have decided Stevens was just too toxic to win?  

John McCain--He's not who you think he is.

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by: Mimikatz @ Tue Jul 29, 2008 at 18:39:07 PM UTC

The ticket (0.00 / 0)

DK suggests Stevens can't be replaced once the primary's occurred, and brushes off the possibility Stevens might not win the (August 26?) primary. This TPM story from yesterday implies Stevens might have a serious primary challenge after all-- where "serious challenge" is "local businessman planning to funnel enormous amounts of self-financing money into ads specifically hitting Stevens' legal allegations". I can imagine this only getting worse for Stevens if he's already under indictment.

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by: mcc @ Tue Jul 29, 2008 at 18:43:29 PM UTC