Well, here’s one way to welcome in the next U.S. Senator from Alaska:

Actually election officials still are counting votes in #Alaska. The spoiled child will just have to wait. #aksen

— Alaska Democrats (@AlaskaDemocrats) November 12, 2014

Some might have chosen a more humble, more statesman’s like approach in 140 characters, particularly when the party’s gubernatorial ticket’s central message is unity, and it would appear that unity is what the public craves. So for the sake of the party, whose message I’m often highly sympathetic to, let me suggest that the next tweet read something like this:

“Votes still being counted. Regardless of outcome and differences hope we can work together for the betterment of the state and country.”

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Republican Dan Sullivan wins Senate race in Alaska

— Becky Bohrer (@beckybohrerap) November 12, 2014

I’ve been hearing this rumor all day long. It’s not true:

So about those rumors that votes were counted today? The elections director wants people to quit it. #akgov #aksen pic.twitter.com/9qhEtVOrMG

— Alexandra Gutierrez (@alexgutierrez) November 8, 2014

More from APRN’s Gutierrez, who’s been faithfully crunching the numbers. (See the spreadsheet she’s using for the governor’s race here and the Senate race here.)

Assuming 3rd party/write-ins take 5% of the uncounted votes, Begich needs a 57-38 margin and Parnell needs a 51-44 break. #aksen #akgov

— Alexandra Gutierrez (@alexgutierrez) November 8, 2014

This is good.

Yesterday, after only two or hours behind closed doors, the Alaska state Senate Majority announced its leadership lineup and some of its committee chairs, a structure, I was told, that was decided by “consensus.” Today, the much more unruly House Majority spent at least eight hours behind closed doors to organize its structure, which is decided by secret ballot.

Any surprises? Not really. (See the press release below with a full list of leadership and committee assignments.) For weeks I’ve been hearing about various members lobbying for positions of power. There was great hope that the women were going to rise up and demand more than just one leadership positions, for instance. That didn’t happen. Rep. Charisse Millett is the only woman in leadership. However, women appear well represented as either chairs of powerful committees or as members of, such as Finance and Judiciary. Continue reading →

From a Bill Walker release to supporters:

This race is not yet over, but we remain optimistic that we will maintain our lead as absentee votes are counted in regional centers.  We would not be on the cusp of victory without the diverse Alaskans who have stepped up to say they are ready for a change in leadership.

They’re also stepping up to get jobs, I’m told, none too soon:

If district voting trends keep up with the 20k uncounteds, Walker maintains his lead over Parnell. https://t.co/4KN47yHVH3 #akelect #akgov

— Alexandra Gutierrez (@alexgutierrez) November 6, 2014

From a Dan Sullivan campaign release to supporters:

Dan has won this race and he is the U.S. Senator-elect from the great state of Alaska.

• Election Night was insane! Lots of races and surprises.  Some cried. Some laughed. Many of us hardly slept. Apparently Democracy means that not everyone is happy and a lot of people are exhausted.

• The Governor’s race is still uncertain with both campaigns taking the high ground by being cautiously optimistic. There are lots of places to read articles with varying degrees of analysis. The Juneau Empire, KTVA,

• Anchorage Bowl and their 21 legislative seats covered by the Dispatch. The biggest surprises of the evening are the uncertain future of the Matt Claman/Anand Dubey and the Laurie Hummel/Gabriel LeDoux races.

• Interior Alaska has the benefit of the Fairbanks News Miner that has broken down the different races for easy digestible bits. Want a general overview of Fairbanks area election results? They have you covered. Want to know about their state senate races?  Here you go!  What?  There are also individual articles about the surprise Adam Wool win and the Scott Kawasaki (Both of which were predicted here.)

Continue reading →

A lot of people have been asking about the Republican rallies that have been scheduled for this weekend with Senate candidate Dan Sullivan and Sen. Ted Cruz.  Likewise, there will be a Republican Rally featuring Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, Gov. Sean Parnell, Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan on Monday. Here are the details:

• Fairbanks Rally
  When: Saturday, November 1 @ 4:00pm
  Where: Gene’s Chrysler
• Soldotna Rally
  When: Sunday, November 2 @ 11:00am
  Where: Soldotna Sports Arena
• Mat-Su Rally
  When: Sunday, November 2 @ 4:00pm
  Where: AT&T Sports Center in Palmer
• Anchorage Rally
  When: Monday, November 3 @ 11:30 am
  Where: PenAir Airplane Hangar, 6100 Boeing Avenue

@Amanda_Coyne One day’s worth of mailings #akgov #aksen pic.twitter.com/ueR14wpo60

— tyler bowman (@tylerbowman38) October 30, 2014

Here’s a letter from Rhonda Boyles, President of the Alaska Federation of Republican Women, urging fellow Republicans to vote for Gov. Sean Parnell. I’m publishing it in full, because I think the comparisons to Sarah Palin are interesting, as is the writing.

Fool me Once Shame on You. Fool me Twice, Shame on Me.

In 2006, our Republican women’s groups helped elect Sarah Palin as governor. We admit that we got burned. If Alaskans follow Sarah Palin again, there is only one place that can lead – back to the chaos and dysfunction that characterized her 18 months as governor. Continue reading →

Valley Republican Rep. Shelley Hughes, who’s running for reelection, is known for being kind of funny, in a weird kind of way. Some might remember that she made national headlines last session for calling breast feeding “sexy.” Anyway, here’s one of her homespun campaign ads, which actually made me laugh, in a real way.

The Washington Post gets the scoop. You guys think this will help Sullivan?

To help him deliver his closing argument to voters in one of the country’s most contentious Senate races, Republican candidate Dan Sullivan is bringing a political odd couple to Alaska. Mitt Romney, the GOP’s 2012 nominee and tacit head of the party’s establishment, and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a tea party firebrand, are both jetting to the Last Frontier to boost Sullivan in the runup to Election Day. Sullivan, campaigning to unseat Sen. Mark Begich (D), will spend this Saturday and Sunday flying around the state with Cruz. The two will headline get-out-the-vote rallies in four of the state’s main population areas — Anchorage, the Mat-Su Valley, Fairbanks and the Kenai Peninsula — according to a Sullivan campaign source who requested anonymity because the events have not yet been announced.

Here’s the most terrifying chart of the day, courtesy of Business Insider, illustrating a story about how crude dropped below $80 a barrel on Monday. Please tell me again why anyone wants to be governor?

Where Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s ears might have been burning this afternoon? They should have been, Here’s one recap, courtesy of KTUU’s Austin Baird, of the Senate debate between Sen. Mark Begich and GOP challenger Dan Sullivan:

Here’s another recap: Continue reading →