Anchorage Daily News

Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich formally declared his candidacy today for the U.S. Senate seat held by Ted Stevens since 1968.

Begich, 46, has been mayor of Alaska's largest city since 2003.

A Democrat, Begich formally announced his candidacy at noon at the Mountain View Community Center. At 5 p.m., he'll make a similar announcement in Fairbanks at the J.P. Jones Community Development Center, according to a press release sent by his campaign.

"What I've been hearing is people are truly ready for change," the Democratic mayor said Sunday. "They want to see something different."

Begich, 46, said he will not resign as mayor during the campaign.

The 84-year-old Stevens has been in the U.S. Senate since 1968. He's the longest-serving Republican in U.S. Senate history.

"As I have said before, this race will be about who has the experience, the seniority and the proven record to best serve Alaska in the U.S. Senate," Stevens said in a written statement released late Sunday.

Begich said Sunday his recent travels around Alaska convinced him he can win.

"There is definite broad-based support out there and from all walks of life," Begich said.

The campaign will be "fast and furious," Begich said, but won't keep him from doing his job as mayor.

"This city continues to run because we've got great people working. You'll still see me at the Assembly meetings, still see me engaged with the activities of this city."

Julie Hasquet, the mayor's press secretary, is leaving the municipality to be the campaign press secretary.

Three other municipal workers have also made the jump, she said. City renewable resources manager Kevin Harun will be Begich's political director. Susanne Fleek and Schawna Thoma also left the city for positions related to the campaign.

Begich's campaign manager will be Heather Rauch. She also ran his successful mayoral campaigns in 2003 and 2006.

Begich must beat Ray Metcalfe and Frank Vondersaar in the Democratic primary in order to face Stevens in November.

Metcalfe is a former Republican state legislator who switched parties and is best known in recent years as a self-proclaimed muckraker who regularly attacks Begich and Stevens.

Begich is the endorsed choice of national and state Democratic Party leaders. Democrats like U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada have courted him for months.

Begich raised more than $267,090 in campaign funds in just over a month through his exploratory committee. Over 80 percent of his donors were from Alaska, he said. But he also received national money, including $10,000 from Reid's leadership fund.

Stevens has not had a close re-election race since going to Washington 40 years ago. But Democrats think "Uncle Ted" is finally vulnerable because he's been publicly linked to an ongoing federal investigation into corruption in Alaska politics.

Stevens, who hasn't been charged with anything, faces challengers in the Republican primary, including developer David Cuddy, son of the local banking family.

Stevens has a national fundraising reach. So far he has amassed a $1.3 million campaign account.

Rebecca Fisher, spokeswoman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said Begich's decision to run doesn't change the support Alaskans have for Stevens.

"We fully expect him to be re-elected this November," Fisher said.

Find Sean Cockerham online at adn.com/contact/scockerham or call him at 257-4344. The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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