Palin left us 2 legacies; what comes next?

First, she reasserted and reestablished through legislation the state's right to get a "fair share" of oil and gas revenue (informally pegged historically at one third including royalty and tax) by amending the tax code and by flexing muscle on the North Slope Point Thomson leases. Second, she rightfully established the construction of a gas pipeline through Canada to U.S. markets as the state's top priority.

The vulnerability of Rep. Don Young, well past his three score and 10, was revealed by his close survival in the Republican primary to now-Gov. Sean Parnell. But his handy win in the general election reminds us he is still a force to be reckoned with even if a public accounting of the matters underlying an FBI investigation will sometime come due.

Parnell himself faces a formidable array of challengers in his presumed bid for a full term as governor but, for the time being, coasts on the novice's honeymoon. Democrats Hollis French, Bob Poe and maybe Ethan Berkowitz are each capable of sustaining a credible campaign. Poe would appear to have the edge here as the seasoned executive with appeal to independents.

Lisa Murkowski appears to be a lasting feature of the new Alaska regime, as is likely Mark Begich. Though one might expect the national Republicans to finance a major effort to unseat him in 2014, that's a long time and Begich, no slouch politically, will be building on the formidable advantages of incumbency for those five years. Alaskans will also, for the first time, have some leverage among national Democrats and a Democratic president.

Sen. Murkowski is unlikely to face any serious challenge, but if it does come, it will be from the right. Under those circumstances, the senator is likely to get support from conservative Democrats if she looks like an independent but not if she looks like an off-the-shelf Republican. Will Lisa Murkowski adopt an independent Alaskan view on national issues? Alaskans, satisfied with Stevens' forte as the purveyor of pork for Alaska, gave him close to a free pass on all other issues, domestic or foreign, which he used in his, sometimes successful, sometimes not search for a leadership role in the U.S. Senate. So far it looks like Sen. L. Murkowski is on the same orthodox track, eschewing any assertions of independence as exhibited by sister Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine. A new generation of Alaskans may not offer that free ride.

It can be expected that the delegation and gubernatorial candidates will stay behind the Canadian gas line, though Bob Poe's alternative focus on "economic diversification" makes his commitment less clear. Most of the industry prefers that route even while they battle over the profits from being in charge.

The success of the gas line is more a matter of national energy policy than numbers crunching or even the maneuvering of Conoco Phillips, BP and Exxon. There is every reason to expect President Obama to continue to support the line and to squeeze coal into expensive processing or disuse because of its environmental problems. As the nation looks for the alternative fuel, the price of gas will go up and the pipeline will be economically feasible by a wide margin.

So, goodbye, Gov. Palin. It's been a wild ride and you left us with two very important accomplishments. No problem with being a "quitter." You thought someone else could do it better -- an honest concession, and true. Too bad your predecessor didn't hang it up early. And to Don, with everyone else a generation younger, don't you think it's time you handed over the job to a more youthful aspirant? It's time for memoirs, fishing and a send-off recognizing good work rather than the eventual kick in the rear end.

John Havelock is a former Alaska attorney general.