Anchorage Daily News

This editorial appeared Thursday on the Voice of the Times Web site. Voice of the Times, an online journal of conservative Alaska opinion, ceased operations at the end of October. Published by permission.

REP. DON YOUNG, Alaska's lone voice in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1973, has more than earned re-election.

Now serving his 18th term, Young is the third-ranking Republican member of the House and seventh ranking overall. During all those years, he managed to head several committees important to Alaska, such as the House Resources Committee, and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

All of that is important to our young state because for 35 years he was fighting almost insurmountable odds in getting Alaska's fair share and protecting our interests from those who would reduce this state to a zoo and park. And he got the job done.

Despite campaign ads from his opponent's party that go well beyond half-truths and verge on slander and character assassination, Young always has done a good job for the state.

He has made enemies along the way, and admittedly he may not always be a teddy bear to deal with, but his heart is in the right place -- and he holds his own, even excels, in a sea of representatives with competing interests.

Young has been likened to a junkyard dog. We like that. We like the image of a junkyard dog standing at the gate, protecting our rights and interests from those who would shut off development and choke off our future. We like it that Young has done so well for Alaska in spite of the odds.

He's our choice for the U.S. House of Representatives. We urge you to vote for him and not give up more than three decades of knowledge, experience, contacts and friendships on both sides of the aisle.

In that context, voting for Young just makes sense.

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