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Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens Loses Re-election Bid to Mark Begich
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ShareNovember 18, 2008 10:32 PM
From the ABC News Political Unit:
The longest-serving Republican in the U.S. Senate, Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, lost his re-election effort to Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, bringing the Democratic net gain in the U.S. Senate to 7 seats.
Begich tonight leads Stevens by 3,724 votes at the current count with roughly 2,500 overseas ballots left to be counted.
Stevens could not survive a conviction on federal corruption charges in connection with his failure to disclose more than $250,000 in gifts and home renovations he received from an oil field services company.
The six-term senator, who turned 85 today, had faced calls for his resignation in light of the conviction and he even possibly faced his colleagues expelling him from the Senate if he had won another term.
Stevens or 10 voters may request a recount within 5 days of state review, but the losing campaign would have to cover the cost of a recount. Alaska only has automatic recounts when the results are tied.
The Alaska victory means that Democrats will begin the next Congress with at least 58 members who caucus, just two votes shy of a filibuster-proof majority. They could still reach that important margin with the results of one race in Minnesota still not clear and a runoff election in Georgia.
Shortly after the Alaska Board of Elections released the updated count, the Begich campaign claimed victory.
"I am humbled and honored to serve Alaska in the United States Senate. It's been an incredible journey getting to this point, and I appreciate the support and commitment of the thousands of Alaskans who have brought us to this day. I can't wait to get to work fighting for Alaskan families," Begich said.
November 18, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (56)
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Good riddance, Stevens.
Posted by: Can O' Whoopass | Nov 18, 2008 10:52:34 PM
NOOOOO!!!
Posted by: ElodieStClair | Nov 18, 2008 10:59:19 PM
To the ABC Political Unit -
Check the last paragraph of the
Steven's article. You should use spellcheck and the grammar check before you publish for public consumption.
"sever" - you have to be kidding.
Posted by: ET | Nov 18, 2008 11:01:02 PM
Yep one less crook in Congress. Hopefully, they'll go after a few more...we know they're up there.
Posted by: Grand Old Party | Nov 18, 2008 11:01:07 PM
This must be a blow to Palin, I think she was really hoping to replace Steven's and get her foot in the door of major politics since she is eyeing the election for 2012. I for one will not even consider her again, she just needs to stay in Alaska if that is the type of people they vote into office. Look at what Stevens did and how she has gotten the State to pay for all of her families expenses while she has been in office.
Posted by: Kathy | Nov 18, 2008 11:05:58 PM
Goodbye and good riddance to another sewer rat. One down and many to go.
Posted by: democratic | Nov 18, 2008 11:06:24 PM
I just wanted to point out the grammatical typo in paragraph three. It should read "failure to disclose".
Posted by: Kelsey | Nov 18, 2008 11:17:33 PM
Alaska will be hurt even if I did vote for Mark! You go dude!
Posted by: A real Alaskan | Nov 18, 2008 11:18:34 PM
YESSSS!!!!!!!! Ha ha haaaaa!!!!! Peace OUT Stevens. Don't let the door hit you in the...
Posted by: marie | Nov 18, 2008 11:27:44 PM
Problem is the only crooks being voted out are Republicans. The Dems never get rid of the sewer rats! Can't start fresh until you get rid of all of them. Ted Kennedy is a drunken murderer. Jefferson from Louisiana took bribes and stored them in his freezer. Don't even get me started on John Murtha. Then of course there was the one in Florida that replaced Foley. He used public money to keep an affair quiet. These are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head.
Posted by: GK_1972 | Nov 18, 2008 11:27:51 PM
bye bye palin....good times
Posted by: arj | Nov 18, 2008 11:28:06 PM
Now the shopaholic won't get to ride the coat tales of a convicted felon into the Senate. Ain't life grand!!!
Posted by: JimM | Nov 18, 2008 11:29:36 PM
Ted's career has gone down 'a series of tubes'!
Posted by: Ford Fairlane | Nov 18, 2008 11:42:02 PM
Haha another bloody nose for Palin. Good, good. Cleaning up after the corrupt republicans is going to take a while. Im convinced Palin will lose her governors seat next election too.
What will she do then? She's not even qualified to flip moose burgers.
Posted by: JoeShmoe | Nov 19, 2008 12:12:04 AM
I think Palin went on record already as stating she didn't want the senate seat didn't she?
Unless I didn't hear her correctly in her interviews on her return to Alaska following the election.
Posted by: Shopkeep | Nov 19, 2008 12:36:53 AM
Seldom has a defeat been so well deserved as that of Ted Stevens. It makes an excellent birthday present for him: he's 85 corrupt, decadent, repressive, mean-spirited years old. It is also an excellent gift for us the public in general. In dollars-and-cents terms, it may not be as easy to quantify as what has probably happened to any 401(k) account balance you may have, but at least it represents a sort of compensation for what you've lost, thanks to the ideology of the powers-that-be.
Posted by: iratior | Nov 19, 2008 12:40:15 AM
just another symptom of the greed and brazen crookedness of people with no regard of who they hurt to get what they want, incuding the residents of the state who love their porkkkk, i should know, im in Texas, the worst!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: kent m. | Nov 19, 2008 12:50:03 AM
This still means that almost half of people in Alaska voted for a convicted felon. It shows that they are more interested in what boondoggles he has brought to Alaska than if he is honest and moral. Makes you wonder what they based their support of Palin on.
Posted by: vissionquest | Nov 19, 2008 12:55:51 AM
Thank god for this, another criminal will not be representing the American people
Posted by: Mike in Ky | Nov 19, 2008 1:03:55 AM
AWWWW... shucks... I was looking forward to having the first federal criminal actually to be elected to Senator... oh well... there are plenty more scoundrels in the GOP...
Posted by: WHAAAAMBULANCE | Nov 19, 2008 1:09:03 AM
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