Begich lead over Stevens grows (2,374 votes)

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Anchorage Daily News

Last Modified: November 18th, 2008 01:13 PM

Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich's lead over Sen. Ted Stevens is growing in today's ballot count in the race for U.S. Senate. The latest numbers, issued just before 1 p.m., show Begich up by 2,374 votes.

The Division of Elections expects to release more numbers between 4 and 5 p.m.

Today's count of about 24,000 absentee and questioned ballots should pretty much decide the race, although there will be a few more overseas absentees to count over the next couple days and a likely recount in early December.

Since the state moved to mostly machine counting, recent Alaska recounts have resulted in little change in the final tally.



Read more: http://www.adn.com/elections/story/593530.html

---

:kick:

[BrklynLiberal]

1. yay...

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast:

[Tempest]

2. And thus ends the tragic tale of Ted "Tubes" Stevens

Good riddance.

[Blue_in_Mass]

11. Ted 'down the tubes' Stevens.

}(

[blueclown]

3. Senator Begich, welcome to Washington.

Enjoy your stay! :)

[Auggie]

6. Senator Stevens, welcome to prison

[blueclown]

7. Enjoy your perp walk, Ted! n/t

[Tempest]

4. If the lead holds there will be no automatic recount

Tubes would have to pay for it out of his own pocket. The money cannot come from the national or state party.

[mascarax]

14. But won't Tubes (love that!) pay for a recount then?

He seems like that type of guy. (He might even have some Rainy Day Illegal Savings stashed away for such an effort...)

It would be great if he didn't and just went away (prison works too!). But he doesn't seem like he'll go quietly.

[Tempest]

22. All his money is going into lawyer's fees

I think he'll go quietly. He knows Congress has enough votes to kick him out.

[scytherius]

5. See ya Tubes!!!!!!!!! Ya moron. nt

nt

[felinetta]

8. Won't miss that arrogant SOB!

[4lbs]

9. Stevens better get used to the phrase "Lights Out!!!".

n/t

[underpants]

10. Alaskan home grown

:bounce:

[indep_kidd]

12. Well

Seems that SOME of those voters have some sense and decency.

Why in the world would you vote for someone that has been fairly tried and convicted? I'm unaware of what amazing contributions to Alaska or the U.S. that he's made that is allowing him to remain so close in this senate race.

[progressoid]

13. That'll mean fewer internet jokes for The Daily Show.

[usregimechange]

15. Good to hear, hope we can pass health care bill

[Land Shark]

16. And more FALSE FRAMEs from Republicans about Expulsion of Stevens (not constitutional)

If alaskans were to choose stevens, the republicans could disassociate themselves but EXPELLING him would not be consituttional and would be extremely anti-democratic to override the will of the alaskan people. Party assignments and committee chairs are one thing, kicking him out of the Senate a completely different and undemocratic thing.

If this expulsion power were allowed, (it's only been exercised for treason & more or less only during the Civil War) then the Senate has the power to be a self-perpetuating body, choosing its own members instead of the people choosing who holds their power.

[David in Canada]

17. Actually...

The Senate and the House both have the exclusive power to expel their members.

To expel a senator, the Constitution requires a 2/3rds of its membership to concur.

The House is not involved in Senate disciplinary measures and the Senate likewise regarding the House.

As for the anti-democratic angle, one could argue that many of the Stevens voters were voting for his as the GOP candidate and were fully expecting a special election. Also, having a convicted felon (especially after an appeal) would be a security risk.

However, a 1970 Supreme Court case stated that after a member has been expelled, they must be accepted back if returned in a special election. The case involved Adam Clayton Powell. He was excluded from taking his seat, was returned in a special election and then SCOTUS ruled that he must be seated.

However, the House stripped him of his seniority and he was reduced in stature to that of an ordinary freshman. In 1970, a young community activist named Charlie Rangel defeated him in the primary for the full term and Powell died in 1972.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

18. Begich Lead Over Stevens Increases To 2,374 Votes

Source: The Huffington Post

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Sen. Ted Stevens, the longest serving Republican in Senate history, narrowly lost his re-election bid Tuesday, marking the downfall of a pillar of the U.S. Senate and Alaska icon who apparently couldn't survive his conviction on federal corruption charges. His defeat to Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich moves Senate Democrats closer to a filibuster-proof 60-vote majority.

Stevens' ouster on his 85th birthday marks an abrupt realignment in Alaska politics and will alter the power structure in the Senate, where he has served since the days of the Johnson administration while holding seats on some of the most influential committees in Congress.

The crotchety octogenarian built like a birch sapling likes to encourage comparisons with the Incredible Hulk, but he occupies an outsized place in Alaska history. His involvement in politics dates to the days before Alaska statehood, and he is esteemed for his ability to secure billions of dollars in federal aid for transportation and military projects. The Anchorage airport bears his name; in Alaska, it's simply "Uncle Ted."

Tuesday's tally of just over 24,000 absentee and other ballots gave Begich 146,286, or 47.56 percent, to 143,912, or 46.76 percent, for Stevens.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/18/begich-lead-over-stevens-_n_144744.html

[SharonRB]

19. You're a little late

He's up by over 3700 votes and has been declared the winner!

[USA_1]

20. MSNBC Report

Stevens lost by 3500+ votes.

A victory for America and the world!

[TomInTib]

21. Now, let him spend the Winter in the Stock.

Naked.