Anchorage Daily News

In Tuesday’s primary election, Alaska voters displayed their conservative side. Offered prospects for change — more legalized gambling, new mining pollution rules, public financing of election campaigns, and new limits on aerial gunning of wildlife — voters decided to stick with the status quo.

In addition, voters in the Republican primary stood with U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, despite his indictment. The closest thing to an exception was Congressman Don Young, who managed only a razor-thin lead over challenger Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell.

Two years ago, Alaskans demanded reform and higher ethical standards by electing Republican Gov. Sarah Palin. On Tuesday, voters, especially on the Republican ballot, seemed to indicate that the urge for reform has run its course.

STEVENS EASILY WINS

The victory by Sen. Ted Stevens appeared to fueled by his long service to Alaska and his effectiveness at bringing billions of dollars in federal benefits home to Alaska.

It also helped that his main opponent, banking heir Dave Cuddy was a lackluster candidate who ran a lackluster campaign. Vic Vickers spent almost a million dollars attacking Sen. Stevens as corrupt, but voters wrote him off as an obvious carpetbagger.

REP. YOUNG’S STRUGGLE

Congressman Don Young did much worse than Sen. Stevens, even though his legal troubles have not produced an indictment. Sean Parnell’s strong showing against Young probably had less to do with Sean Parnell and more to do with two factors: Support from the astoundingly popular Republican governor, Sarah Palin, and Don Young’s sometimes buffoonish conduct. (Think mink bites and oosiks.) For better or worse (often worse), Young is an Alaska character; Parnell has all the pizzazz of mashed potatoes. Ethan Berkowitz easily topped Diane Benson in the Democratic primary for Congress. Though she has never held elected office, she had run for Congress before. A former legislative leader, Berkowitz cruised to a win with his superior political resume.

BALLOT MEASURES REJECTED

All four ballot measures were defeated, and none of those contests were close.

Opponents of Measure 4, the new mining pollution rules, successfully framed it as an outright attack on the entire mining industry, a “shutdown.” It was a grossly exaggerated claim, but it stuck, thanks to millions of dollars in advertising and sloppy drafting in the language of the initiative itself. In addition, the secret funding and deceptive campaign tactics of Prop 4 supporters were off-putting even to voters sympathetic to the cause.

Despite the corruption scandal, and seeing how tainted money has polluted Alaska political campaigns, voters defeated Measure 3. Alaskans may not like politicians grubbing for money from special interests, but they like even less the idea of giving politicians public money to run for office.

CONFUSION ABOUNDED

Confusion was a recurring theme in Tuesday’s election.

Republicans closed their primary to voters in other parties, so the state had to offer three different ballots. Even some poll workers didn’t always know who was eligible to vote which ballot.

Measure 1 supporters added to Tuesday’s confusion. They touted it as a “gaming reform and regulation” measure when it in fact created a commission with the power to expand legalized gambling.

Confusion surrounded the “predator control” initiative as well. Some who voted no on Measure 2 thought they were banning the practice, when in fact it took a yes vote to stop private hunters from gunning wolves and bears from the air.

Measure 2 may have gone down to defeat anyway, as urban hunters astutely made allies with rural Natives, even though the two camps have spent years battling over subsistence hunting rights. A spate of bear attacks in the state’s largest city might have helped quell voters’ sympathies for the animals being targeted by aerial hunters.

LOOKING AHEAD

Tuesday’s vote was a party primary, and not every voter was free to select any party’s candidate. For that reason, it’s impossible to say what the results will mean for November’s general election.

Stevens exulted in his primary victory, but he faces a tough race in November. The longest-serving Republican senator in U.S. history won only a few thousand votes more than his Democratic opponent, Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, who was running statewide for the first time.

Whether Young or Parnell wins the Republican primary for Congress, he will offer voters a strong contrast with Democrat Ethan Berkowitz. Likewise for the race between Sen. Stevens and Mark Begich. No matter what the races for state legislature look like in a particular district, this year’s congressional contests will give Alaskans plenty of reason to hit the polls on Nov. 4.

BOTTOM LINE: Except for Don Young, Alaska voters strongly supported the status quo in Tuesday’s somewhat confusing primary election.

ADVERTISEMENT